Do You Dance, Mister Darcy?
by I'm Going on an Adventure
Summary: "I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." - Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice.
1. One

**Do You Dance, Mister Darcy?**

 _I'm Going on an Adventure_

(All Standard Disclaimers Apply)

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 _"I should infinitely prefer a book..." - Mary Bennet_

* * *

The lavish Sinclair Estate was humming with the chatter and buzz of a spectacular birthday celebration. The stony façade of the centuries-old manor flickered with shapes and shadows in the glow of lanterns lining its long drive. Obscenely expensive cars had been pulling up to its entrance for what seemed like hours with finely dressed men and women floating through the massive front doors and into the refine din of clinking glasses and practiced laughter. The assumed obligation of high society to host extravagant dinners and parties was usually cast aside by Lord Sinclair. He much preferred a comfortable distance from the exclusive society his title was attached to and normally kept the estate shuttered to everyone.

But tonight was a very special occasion: the only daughter of Lord and Lady Sinclair was celebrating her sixteenth birthday. Lord Sinclair reluctantly adhered to his wife's strong insistence that they do _something_ to officially present their daughter to high society. Typically a young girl with a royal title was thrown into the pearls and propriety of England's most exclusive tier of society around the blushing age of sixteen. Many of Lady Sonomi's friends and school mates had already celebrated their "coming out" inciting Sonomi's mother to throw her daughter an announcement party of her own. In an effort to please her mother, Sonomi agreed to a lavish sixteenth birthday gala.

So that was how Sonomi found herself in the revived ballroom of the Sinclair manor surrounded by the finely dressed members of England's high society that she typically tried to avoid. In order to look the part of an English lady, her mother had convinced her to wear a slim-fitted, wine-red gown she had brought back from Italy. The dress was layered with an intricate lace design that wrapped the length of the gown and up over its sweetheart collar so that her neck and arms were cheekily visible beneath the lace. Her naturally straight hair had been curled and teased into a purposefully mussed knot that twisted at the bottom of her skull. The final, delicate detail of her ensemble was the pair of tea drop diamond earrings that dripped elegantly from her earlobes. By all accounts, Lady Sonomi was the rose of the ball. She, however, felt more like a wallflower plucked from her realm of comfort and placed in the crystal vase of royal company without her consent.

While her mother and father spun through the room greeting their guests and engaging in practiced small-talk, Lady Sonomi retreated to a secluded corner of the grand ballroom. She discreetly brought with her a small book and a cup of tea she had smuggled out of the kitchen. Struggling to sit comfortably with the constraints of her fitted dress, Sonomi settled herself in one of the ballroom's plush velvet seats and opened her book.

The calm, poised droll of high society faded into the background as she focused her attention on one of her favorite novels _Pride and Prejudice_. She had finally arrived to the scene where Mr. Darcy announces his love for Elizabeth Bennet when a voice abruptly pulled her away.

"Ahem, Lady Anne?"

Startled by her intruder, Sonomi hurriedly abandoned her book and pushed herself further against her seat to sit straighter. Her mother would have strongly disapproved of Sonomi reading instead of mingling with guests at her own birthday party. Hopefully the young man that appeared across from her wouldn't bring it to her attention.

When she finally registered the young man, she felt herself become even more flustered. She recognized his handsome, foxlike features from one of the many business-themed journals Lord Sinclair collected in his office. "Hello, Ootori-san. I'm sorry; I didn't realize it was you." She instinctively began speaking in Japanese, her English accent glaringly obvious in the way she sounded her vowels.

The young man shook his head. "Please, I prefer 'Kyouya'."

"In that case, I insist use my first name," said Sonomi, "'Anne' is just my English name." In an effort to ease the transition into English society, Sonomi's mother and father suggested she go by her middle name, Anne, when in English company. The title "Lady Anne" was a more traditional title than "Lady Sonomi" and helped incorporate her into the extensive English royal family albeit her obviously Japanese descent.

The dashing, young Ootori smiled thinly out of propriety. "Of course, Lady _Sonomi_. I wanted to wish you a happy birthday and thank you for inviting my father and me to your birthday celebration. It has been a lovely evening."

Sonomi blushed at Kyouya's praise. "Thank you so much for attending. I know having your father here means a lot to my father. We can't express enough gratitude for all of your family's help with his illness." Although Lord Sinclair had been cancer free for the past two years, it still pained Sonomi to talk about it. Yoshio Ootori, originally a friend of her mother's, dedicated his best doctors to the treatment and healing of Sonomi's father. Throughout the grueling process, the Sinclair and Ootori families transcended from polite acquaintances to close friends and confidants.

However, this was Sonomi's first encounter with young Kyouya and she was impressed by the physical similarities between father and son. "I'm honestly surprised you made the journey to come, tonight," she continued, "I apologize for not introducing myself sooner."

"No need to apologize. I suspected that you would be occupied." Kyouya's dark eyes flickered to Sonomi's book lying idle on the table next to her. "But I assumed you would be tied up with guests, not a book."

Sonomi was rendered speechless with mortification.

But the young Ootori chuckled lowly, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't worry, I'll keep this between you and I. Personally, I would much prefer a book to a party."

Sonomi gave a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank you. I wouldn't hear the end of it if my mother found out. She's been horribly insistent that I be 'charming and engaging' with everyone, tonight… I'm afraid I'm not much of either."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that."

Sonomi felt her cheeks growing violently red. She was about to respond when the sound of metal tapping a champagne glass drew her attention to the middle of the room. Her mother and father were standing squarely in the midst of their guests, genuine expressions of pride and excitement glowing on their features. Sonomi's younger brother, visibly exhausted by the night's excitement, was pressed up against their mother trying to hide himself in the folds of her satin gown. Quickly excusing herself from Kyouya's company, Sonomi rose to her feet and smoothed out her dress. She recognized this as the dreaded moment of her birthday toast when she would be singled out by her father and be ostentatiously presented to everyone in the ballroom.

Her father spoke first. "I would like to thank everyone for joining us this evening in celebrating a very special day for the Sinclair family." His bright eyes searched amongst the crowd until he spotted his daughter tucked away in the corner. He flashed Sonomi a knowing smile and raised his crystal glass. "My beloved daughter, a young woman whom I am unbelievably proud of, has turned sixteen. I am the luckiest father in the world to be blessed with a daughter as beautiful and poised as she. I am confident that she will continue to grow not only as a competent young woman, but also as a successful heir to the Sinclair name." He lifted his glass higher as a final solute to his daughter. "Happy birthday, Lady Sonomi Anne Sinclair!"

"Happy birthday!" echoed the party attendees.

Sonomi smiled as widely as she could and gave a slight curtsey before returning her father's solute and taking a sip from the champagne glass she had been discreetly given by a nearby server. Lady Sinclair had passed along her son, Andrew, to his nanny before sauntering towards her daughter and taking her arm. "Happy birthday, darling," her mother said in Japanese. "I know you hate these sorts of parties, but I am very impressed with how you've been carrying yourself. You'll become more comfortable with practice, I promise."

Sonomi returned her mother's bright smile. "Thank you, mother. I know this night is important."

As Lady Sinclair began leading her daughter towards the center of the ballroom, Sonomi tilted her head in an effort to catch Kyouya's attention, but he had disappeared. _He probably wandered away during the toast_ , thought Sonomi, surprised she didn't catch him leaving. But she also didn't notice him approaching her in the first place, so it only seemed fitting she didn't notice him disappear. Although their encounter was brief, Sonomi decided she didn't dislike the gentlemanly young man and wouldn't mind running into him again.

After hours of mingling, drinking, and laughing, the last of the party guests finally trickled out of the manor and into their awaiting chauffeured cars. Little Lord Andrew had been tucked away in his bed shortly after the toast, leaving Sonomi and her parents to rest a moment in the manor's front parlor. The ballroom was being attended to by the estate's hired staff while the family members retired to themselves to muse over the evening's festivities.

"I thought the ball was a marvelous success," remarked Lady Sonomi, sipping a glass of sherry. She had removed the large emeralds that hung heavily from her earlobes and a few of the ornate combs that had been secured in her long, dark hair. Even in her tired state, she was still painfully beautiful. Sonomi wished she had inherited her mother's cat-like eyes and high cheek bones. Sonomi thought her own features as too round to be pretty and eyes too child-like to be alluring.

Lord Sinclair echoed his wife's sentiments. "As much as I hate these sorts of things, I have to admit the evening was rather lovely. I'm delighted Yoshio was able to make it. I was convinced he would be too busy to make such a long journey," he said, referencing the typically expressionless Japanese man Sonomi had seen conversing with her father for most of the night.

Unlike her mother and father who were entertaining glasses of sherry and whiskey respectively, Sonomi opted for a soothing glass of chamomile tea. She was reclining comfortably against one of the parlor couches with her lithe legs folded nimbly underneath her and her long, tangled hair draped unceremoniously over her shoulder. She was decidedly more comfortable even though she still wore her frustratingly restrictive gown.

"And don't think I didn't notice you and the young Ootori boy, Sonomi," her mother said, her dark eyes twinkling with mirth. "He's quite handsome, don't you think?"

Sonomi felt her cheeks burn for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. "We were just having a polite conversation," Sonomi stubbornly insisted. "We didn't really talk about anything interesting."

Lady Sinclair laughed lightly. "If you say so. But if I know Yoshio and his sons as well as I think I do, I would dare to say Kyouya seemed quite taken with you."

Sonomi knew her mother was just teasing her, but it didn't stop her heart from pounding at a rapid pace. _Ridiculous_ , Sonomi thought, avoiding her mother's gaze by taking a sip of her tea, _He probably thought I was silly for hiding in the corner with a book instead of engaging myself at my_ own _birthday party_. _Definitely not the behavior of a charming and elegant lady… I probably looked like a bored child._ Sonomi berated herself for not being a more generous and entertaining hostess in front of Kyouya, but at the same time didn't fully understand why it bothered her so much.

"Dear," Lord Sinclair said suddenly, his tone adopting a serious edge, "Do you think we ought to tell her about… her situation… tonight?"

Lady Sinclair looked troubled. "I thought we agreed we would tell her when she was at least seventeen?"

Sonomi gave her parents an alarmed look. The serious expression on her father's face deeply contrasted his usual dimpled smile and cheeky features. Even during his long and exhausting cancer treatments, Lord Sinclair's soft eyes and wide mouth would be curved into bright smiles and assuring grins. His tall, awkward stature and wispy blonde hair enhanced his bright countenance, making him the sun-like counterpart to his wife's glamorous moon-like glow.

"I know," said Lord Sinclair, his tired eyes resting on Sonomi. "But I had been talking with Yoshio about this and circumstances in Japan have complicated our plans. Talk of Sonomi's entitlement to your ex-husband's fortune has already been investigated. It is best we address the situation sooner rather than later."

 _Circumstances in Japan? Entitlement? Mother's first husband?_ Sonomi's head began to spin.

Lady Sinclair gave a long sigh. "I was afraid this would happen. Yoshio tried to warn me…"

Lord Sinclair reached across the small table between them and took his wife's hand. Lady Sinclair attempted a weak smile of encouragement before she turned towards their perplexed and slightly alarmed daughter. "Sonomi," she said carefully, "We need to talk about your birth-father."

Sonomi nodded slowly. Lord Edward Sinclair was not Sonomi's _biological_ father. Unlike the ambiguously Japanese and Western characteristics her younger brother possessed, Sonomi was undoubtedly of Japanese origin. Her birth into the Sinclair family was a bit of a scandal that shocked England's high society. She was conceived during her mother's first marriage to an unnamed Japanese man. The marriage dissolved early in their union and under unknown pretenses. Shortly after, her mother married Lord Sinclair in the midst of swirling rumors that they were lovers during Lady Sinclair's marriage. It was commonly thought a possible affair between them was what ruined the marriage.

However, the newlyweds never truly addressed these rumors. Instead, they happily welcomed the birth of Lady Sinclair's first born with as much love and affection as though she was Lord Sinclair's legitimate daughter. For all of Sonomi's life, her mother never mentioned the identity of her first husband. Even when the family would travel to Japan to visit family and friends, her mother never suggested they meet Sonomi's mysterious father and Sonomi never asked. So to hear her mother and father abruptly bring up the topic that very evening both alarmed and excited Sonomi.

Lady Sinclair kept her voice calm and steady as she began telling her tale. "I was raised in a very wealthy and traditional household: I attended the best schools, I lived in the wealthiest neighborhoods, and I kept company with some of the world's most prestigious men and women. When I was eighteen, my mother saw it suitable that I settle down and marry. Because of the society that we lived in, I wasn't permitted to _choose_ my own husband…" she grimaced at the memory. "So, after I finished high school, I was engaged to a successful, young business man named _Yuzuru Suoh_."

Lord Sinclair gave his wife's hand a light squeeze out of encouragement before continuing on her behalf. "You mother and your father were not happy together, Sonomi. They divorced early in the marriage. Your mother and I had met a few times before and started dating soon after they divorced. I know the whole thing seems horribly scandalous, but I love you, your mother, and your brother with all of my heart. Never think for one second that I don't consider you my little girl."

Sonomi could see the tears welling in her father's eyes and she felt her heart break. He had worked so hard all of her life to provide her with as _loving_ and _accepting_ of a childhood he could. Unfortunately, when you're blatantly not the _biological_ heir of a royal title, you can never be entirely accepted as genuine. That was the bitter nature of Sonomi's upbringing.

"Through the process of adoption, you are, by law, the heir to the Sinclair estate," continued Lord Sinclair, "But seeing as you are still the recognized first born of Yuzuru Suoh, you are interpreted as the heir to his estate as well."

Sonomi felt her voice leap into her throat. "An heir to _his_ estate!? I don't understand… what does this mean? Aren't there any other heirs? How can I be an heir to _two_ estates?" She felt herself losing grip of her composure. The discovery of her father and her current situation was incredibly disorienting.

"Unfortunately Japanese culture is very particular about heirs. Yuzuru does have a son, albeit one born out of an affair," her mother said, voice laced with antipathy, "but you were conceived during his _legitimate_ marriage to me which makes you a more suitable heir than his half-French son."

"Yuzuru's son…" Sonomi was assaulted by another wave of shock, "you mean my half-brother?"

Lady Sinclair moved to sit beside her daughter on the couch. Offering a small smile, she began to gently brush her fingers through Sonomi's hair; something she used to do when she was little. Sonomi couldn't decide if her mother was trying to comfort her, or if she was trying to comfort herself. _Probably both_ , Sonomi though, watching the sad expression in her mother's eyes.

"Yoshiro Ootori told me this evening that Yuzuru Suoh has been avoiding naming his son as heir to the Suoh name. It could be for a variety of reasons, but Yoshiro is convinced one of them is related to you coming of age," said Lord Sinclair. "I expect we will being hearing from the Japanese mogul in the near future. Japan's high society has already started to expect your return to Japan and acceptance of his company and estate."

Sonomi felt the room begin to spin. "My… return?"

"We can't decline your legitimacy as his heir for you," her mother continued, pulling Sonomi into her arms, "In the eyes of the law, you are as much his daughter as mine and he has every right to make you his heir. However, you cannot officially accept _or_ decline his legacy until you are eighteen. Until then, it is expected by our society that you carefully consider the possibility of accepting the Suoh name instead of Sinclair."

Sonomi felt herself wrapping her arms around her mother's waist. Ever since her younger brother, Andrew, had been born, whispers of a shift in the line of succession had been floating around England's high society. Seeing as Andrew was Lord Sinclair's son by _blood_ it was more appealing to the royal family that Andrew be the one to inherit the title and estate, not Sonomi. In a matter of minutes, Sonomi's place in the world and her family had been completely turned upside-down. She was the _legitimate_ heir of a Japanese name; a name she could probably accept without contention; whereas if she were to continue as _Lady Sonomi_ , her place in English socially would always be scrutinized.

But the thought of abandoning the name and heritage she was brought up with was too painful to truly consider. Although she was of Japanese parentage, _Suoh_ sounded strange and foreign. _Sinclair_ was bright with summers in the English countryside and cream tea during rainy afternoons. _Suoh_ held nothing but an absent father and a broken marriage.

"What… do you propose I do?" Sonomi's voice was tired and overwhelmed.

Lady Sinclair gently ran her fingers along the length of her daughter's face, her eyes holding Sonomi's gaze carefully. "You will need to go to Japan and meet with Yuzuru. I cannot sway you to become Lady Sinclair as much as he cannot sway you to become Sonomi Suoh. This is something you need to decide on your own. Since I have had the honor and privilege of raising you, you have known only your heritage as a Sinclair, but you need to dedicate time to Japanese culture and expectations in order to truly consider the Suoh name."

Sonomi opened her mouth to protest, but her father quickly cut her off. "It is easy to decline the Suoh name, _now_ ," He had been watching his wife and daughter with sad eyes. The reality of the situation weighed on him. He never expected that he would need to consider losing his daughter so soon to her obligations as the daughter of a prominent Japanese mogul, but he recognized it was inevitable. "Our world of wealth and title is all about appearances. It is a balancing act of charm and familial ties. It is all about who you know and who knows you. Unfortunately, the circles Yuzuru Suoh runs in have already been identifying you as his legitimate heir and if Yuzuru wants to keep his society content, he will have to agree with them; that's his balancing act."

"And you have your own balancing act," warned Lady Sinclair. "Don't cut ties if you can avoid it."

Sonomi understood her mother's cautionary words. In order to legitimately inherit one name, she would need to ensure that the declined legacy be convinced of her decision. It was an immense honor to be the heir of _any_ fortune and estate, let alone _two_. But these worlds were not all diamonds and champagne like they appeared to be; Sonomi would need to become politically adept and socially savvy. Suddenly she wished she was Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's story. Elizabeth was self-assured and wildly independent. She had the audacity to _decline_ a marriage proposal and _refuse_ a man's love for the sake of her sister's honor. Perhaps she wasn't the _ideal_ heroine, but she had the conviction that Sonomi felt she herself lacked.

"I'll go to Japan," Sonomi decided, trying to sound confident, but failing horribly. "This is something I need to do… if nothing else, at least for my own sake."

Lord and Lady shared smiles of sad pride. They agreed Sonomi was making the right decision, but it meant that her world would never be the same. The family's moment of deep thought and emotion was interrupted when one of the remaining servants peeked into the parlor to inform them it was well past midnight.

Lord Sinclair jumped to his feet and stretched his long limbs in an exaggerated yawn. "Well, this has been mighty exciting! I feel like I might fall asleep at any moment. Ladies, shall we call it a night?"

Sonomi and her mother rose from their place on the couch and followed the lanky Lord out of the parlor and up the manor's marble staircase. Their conversation returned to the light, approving remarks about Sonomi's birthday ball and tomorrow's activities rather than reminiscing on Sonomi's presently controversial lineage.

After kissing her parents goodnight in front of her bedroom door, Sonomi quickly peeled off the evening's designer gown and pulled on one of her enormous t-shirts that served as her sleepwear. She quickly scrubbed off the make-up that took _hours_ to be put on via the make-up artist her mother had surprised her with. Her hair was matted and tangled due to the styling and products it had suffered through to be "ball ready" leaving Sonomi's attempts at brushing futile. Too tired to care, Sonomi stumbled towards her bed and face-planted into her duvet.

Her limbs ached with exhaustion, but her mind was swimming with the thoughts about her evasive father: _Yuzuru Suoh_. Finally, she had a name to the other half of her parentage. _Soon, I'll have a face, too_ , she thought. The news of her having another half-brother also tugged at the corners of her mind. _Mom said he's half French_ , she mused, exhaustion making her delirious, _and my younger brother is half British. How odd._ Preoccupied by similar thoughts and reflections, Sonomi was only able to drift asleep during the obscure hour of dawn when the dull-hue of early morning flooded her bedroom with a comforting glow.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _I'm breaking a million-year hiatus to revisit my FanFiction profile!_

 _I decided to rewrite this particular story because I remember liking the plot. I never had the drive (or time) to finish it, so I kind of fort about it. When I came back to it, I realized it needed a total overhaul because it was kind of... not good. Not saying my writing is top-notch stuff, but I definitely think it has improved since my last chapter._

 _Anyway, this is a rewrite of my store "Half-Bloods and Half-Wits" which I have renamed "Do You Dance, Mister Darcy?" for a variety of reasons. One of them being "Half-Bloods and Half-Wits" as a title actually conflicted with the plot of the story so that needed to be fixed. I also decided it might be fun to try to make it be a little tribute to Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. I don't want to betray how much my plot will harken to the book... I hope it'll become obvious further down the road (if people haven't pieced it together already!)_

 _Also, just as a disclaimer, I'm basing purely off of the anime, not the manga (I never go around to reading the manga, so sorry if that bothers some people). I also haven't seen the anime in a long time, so I'll be brushing up on my familiarity with Ouran High School Host Club while I'm writing this story. If I make any glaring errors, let me know and I'll try to keep things in accordance with the Ouran universe._

 _So, thank you so much for reading my first submission (I believe) in over four years!_

 _Much love._

 _\- I'm Going on an Adventure (formally known as the Irish Baroness)_


	2. Two

**Do You Dance, Mister Darcy?**

 _I'm Going on an Adventure  
_

(All Standard Disclaimers Apply)  


* * *

 **Chapter Two  
**

 _"I do not find it easy to talk to people I don't know." - Fitwilliam Darcy  
_

* * *

The weeks following Sonomi Sinclair's birthday gala were a whirlwind of emotions and preparations. After Sonomi made the resolve to travel to Japan and meet her biological father, Lady Sinclair busied her daughter with various lessons and lectures to familiarize herself with Japan's high society and the Suoh family. The "courses" ranged from practicing proper Japanese etiquette in social settings to memorizing important names and families to learning the history of Yuzuru Suoh and his prominent family.

After Lady Sinclair shared the identity of Yuzuru Suoh with Sonomi, it was as though a burden was lifted from her shoulders. Without the constraints and shame of secrecy, Lady Sinclair burst with all of her life's details that were once locked away. The new energy in her mother surprised Sonomi at first, but she quickly came to appreciate their new level of intimacy. For the first time she knew the love, loss, and pain of Yuki Sinclair's past, and Sonomi relished every shared memory.

"Many members of Japan's high society are still frustratingly old-fashioned. I understand that Japan holds tradition to a high standard, but some of the customs are simply _outdated_."

Sonomi and her mother were currently sitting in the large sunroom that extended outwards from the back of the Sinclair estate. The manor's expansive grounds stretched out before them, both sides lined with two precise rows of trees. In the middle of the neatly-groomed lawn was a large fountain surrounded by well-tended floral arrangements and shrubbery. Lord Sinclair and little Andrew were standing between the fountain and the sun room tossing a ball back and forth in fits of laughter. The afternoon was extraordinarily bright and cheerful for the English countryside, driving the Sinclair family out of their home and into the sunshine.

While the two Sinclair men ran around the grounds, Lady Sinclair and her daughter entertained high afternoon tea in the serenity of the sunroom. It was at this time Sonomi's mother decided to carry on with one of the topics she had touched upon at breakfast earlier that day: her likes and dislikes regarding Japanese high society.

"I suppose much like any other elite society, it's all about _pedigree_ ," her mother continued. "Excellent _breeding_ is a priority for elite families."

Sonomi felt herself grow disheartened at the word "breeding". It was a crude term to describe a person's lineage but she found it to be disappointingly applicable to her situation. "Is that why arranged marriages are still relevant?" asked Sonomi, alluding to her mother's first marriage.

"Absolutely," her mother said sharply, jabbing her small fork into one of the cakes that had been abandoned on her plate. "It's an archaic custom… but if a family wants to _guarantee_ the exclusivity of their legacy, marriage becomes more like a business contract than a declaration of love."

"So you never loved Yuzuru Suoh?" It was a bold question. For the most part Lady Sinclair had been very direct and informative about Sonomi's father, Yuzuru. But Sonomi noticed she dodged any topic or theme that alluded to any of her _emotions_ towards Yuki Sinclair's first husband. Sonomi suspected it was a painful topic and her mother did not want to discuss something that in the grand scheme of things did not quite matter anymore.

But Lady Sinclair surprised her daughter. "No," she said thoughtfully. Her dark eyes looked past Sonomi at her husband chasing their young son through the trees. Sonomi could see the warmth in her expression and regretted prompting her mother to dig up old emotions. "I did not love your father. I respected him, though; he was a very successful man from a good family. There was not much to… _dislike_ …"

"But you couldn't find anything to _love_ , either," finished Sonomi.

Surprised by her daughter's insightfulness, Lady Sinclair smiled. "No, I guess not. But in the end, that's what makes a marriage last no matter the title or obligation. When your father and I fell in love, it was for other people."

Sonomi nodded. Her mother did not need to finish her statement for Sonomi to understand their love for other people was ultimately what caused the divorce; but there was one other topic that she did want her mother to address… albeit its scandalous nature. "Mother…" Sonomi said hesitantly, twirling her tea cup around in its saucer, "What can you tell me about my half-brother?"

Her mother's expression hardened. Sonomi realized it was a sensitive topic, but curiosity had finally overwhelmed her sense of propriety. "His name, I believe," began Lady Sinclair, "is Tamaki…"

 **…-X-…**

At that very moment, on the other side of the world, Tamaki Suoh felt his ears burn. The young, bright-eyed teenager was sprawled across his bed, his gaze directed up into its canopy. He was in the middle of sharing a rambling story with his stoic companion seated at the desk across from him, when a curious sensation at the tips of his ears distracted him.

The young man seated at Tamaki's desk noticed the lull in his friend's longwinded saga and lifted his gaze. He had been furiously typing away at his computer, the harsh glare of the monitor refracting off of his rimless glasses, when Tamaki's abrupt pause tore him from his concentration. "Is something the matter?"

Tamaki quickly sat up. "I don't know," he said, tugging at his earlobes, "my ears just grew hot all of a sudden! What could that mean, Kyouya?"

"I'm sure it doesn't mean anything," Kyouya replied sharply. Unimpressed by Tamaki's suddenly "hot ears", he returned his attention to his laptop.

Tamaki frowned and tried to recall something about _when your ears burn_ … "Doesn't that mean someone, somewhere is talking about you?" he thought aloud.

* * *

Although the day of Sonomi's departure had been known in advance for several weeks, she wasn't able to prepare herself for the heartbreak of leaving home. After the enormous wardrobe her mother ambitiously purchased in addition to the collections of jewelry, tech, books, vitamins, medicines, cosmetics, toiletries, as well as any other odd and end she could think of was securely packed away, the morning of Sonomi's flight had begrudgingly arrived and it was time to say goodbye.

The Sinclair family stood in front of the black town car that was to whisk Sonomi away to Heathrow in the hazy glow of early morning. Andrew was crying loudly into his father's shoulder, unable to understand if he was sad or angry (or both) that his sister was leaving. Lord Sinclair, while trying to balance the hysterical child in his arms, pulled Sonomi into a strong hug and kissed her head. "I know you'll do great things," he mumbled into her hair.

Sonomi had been trying to fight down her tears all morning, but her father's fond words threatened to bring them to the surface. Biting her lip, she gave him a tight hug before pulling away to kiss her brother's cheek. Andrew refused to offer her his face, so she settled on kissing his ear and whispering "I'm sorry. I love you, Andrew."

Lady Sinclair wore a mixed expression of pride and sorrow. She saw the hidden strength and ambition that glowed in her daughter's eyes, even if Sonomi couldn't. Although she was a blossoming, young woman that was growing beautifully into her soft features and slender limbs, Lady Sinclair could still see the spritely little girl that used to climb into trees with her books and look for fairies in the estate's gardens. It was a very special sort of sad pride that only a mother could experience by having to bid her daughter farewell.

"Promise me you'll call?" It sounded more like a question than a request, but Sonomi agreed. Sensing it was time for her daughter to be on her way, she pulled Sonomi in for one last hug. "I know this is going to be a difficult time, but I am absolutely sure you will stay strong. When the time comes, you'll _know_ what your decision will be."

"Thank you, mother," Sonomi whispered into her mother's hair. Swallowing thickly, she kept her emotions down. "I love you so much."

Lady Sinclair pulled away from her daughter, silent tears running down her face. It was time for Sonomi to go. Sliding into the leather seat of the town car, she continued to wave to her family. Even as the chauffer pulled ahead, she rolled down the car window to recklessly stick her head outside to watch everything shrink from sight. It was ominously metaphorical to see the Sinclair estate disappear from view. Sonomi felt like a piece of her heart was still there, and from that point on she would never be whole again.

That was when Sonomi started to cry.

She sniffled and hiccupped for most of the journey. If her chauffer was bothered by the young girl's broken sobbing, he never showed it. In fact, as he was helping Sonomi bring her suitcases to the curbside counter for them to be checked and tagged, he gave her a sympathetic smile. "Have a safe flight," he said.

Sonomi nodded, but couldn't find the words to thank him. Her voice was too wrapped up in strangled cries for her to trust it would work properly.

Sonomi Sinclair felt as though her body was moving of its own accordance. She felt as though everything was a dream and at any moment the chaos of Heathrow Airport would disappear and she would find herself back in her room. Alas, the boarding pass grasped tightly in her hand was very, very real and there was no waking up from this. _What would Elizabeth Bennet do?_ She found herself asking. Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy were tucked away in her carry-on, safe in the literary confines of the early edition her father bought her on Sonomi's thirteenth birthday. Imagining herself as the bold Bennet daughter gave Sonomi some confidence. _She would be fearless_.

Once she was settled and buckled in her plush first-class seat, Sonomi quickly pulled the book out of her bag to hold it securely in her lap. There was an odd sense of comfort she derived from running her fingers along the book's soft leather spine. _Pride & Prejudice_ glittered in a golden script along the front of the book with a detailed etching of an artist's rendition of Elizabeth Bennet looking up from the cover. Sonomi caught herself returning the portrait's smile. _"Do not give way to useless alarm"_ Sonomi quoted, _"though it is right to be prepared for the worst, there is no occasion to look on it as certain…"_

 **…-X-…**

While Sonomi Sinclair was flying through the air contemplating her future, Tamaki Suoh was flying through his room in a state of panic. His morning had _begun_ normally enough: He was awoken by several of the mansions servants, presented with a crisply pressed Ouran school uniform, and a freshly brewed latte to help him along. After he had finished dressing, one of the butlers returned to the young master's room to fetch the empty porcelain mug, and left with a startling piece of news.

"Your father is waiting for you downstairs," the butler droned, as if the presence of his father in the mansion was as mundane as the empty coffee mug he held in his hand.

Before the butler had a chance to escape, Tamaki exploded into a fit of panic and confusion. "What do you mean he's _downstairs?_ " Tamaki demanded. He had leapt up from the lounging couch at the foot of his bed and began pacing the extravagant room.

The butler could only respond by repeating himself. He couldn't word it more simply than, "Your father is waiting for you downstairs."

 _No, no, no,_ bemoaned Tamaki, looking at his distraught reflection in his bedroom mirror, _father's visits are never good. I don't recall doing anything exceedingly naughty… he doesn't really pay much mind._ His thoughts trailed off to consider detailed "worst-case scenarios" and Tamaki felt himself grow cold. Only when the butler cleared his throat in annoyance did Tamaki return his attention to the present situation. After giving his uniform blazer one last tug, Tamaki hurried past the butler and towards his father's study.

Yuzuru Suoh _rarely_ paid his lesser mansion a visit. For the most part, Tamaki served as the manor's young master while his father went about his business. If the older Suoh were to ever grace the estate with his brooding presence, he would keep his time confined to work in his study. Unsurprisingly, the room itself reflected the cold and precise nature of its occupant. Tamaki always considered the dark wooden wall panels and long, heavy window drapery too _depressing_ and avoided the study whenever he could.

However, avoiding the study was not an option that morning. Standing timidly in front of the room's closed doors, Tamaki nervously tapped his knuckles against the cold wood. He unconsciously held his breath as he strained to listen for his father's voice. _Perhaps the butler was mistaken_ , he thought hopefully _, maybe he just imagined he saw father_.

The impatient "come in" that was heard from the depths of the study proved otherwise. Taking one last nervous deep breath, Tamaki slowly opened the door.

"Good morning, father."

Yuzuru Suoh ignored his son's pleasantries and ushered him into the study. The dark window drapes were only slightly pulled apart, allowing a minimal amount of morning sunlight to illuminate the office. The brightest source of light was the ornate desk lamp sitting on the corner of Yuzuru Suoh's desk at which the man himself sat in unnerving silence. Adhering to his father's wordless command, Tamaki quickly seated himself in one of the low-back chairs placed across the large wooden desk. His blues eyes looked expectantly up at his father with quiet urgency.

The two Suoh men sat in momentary silence before Yuzuru addressed his unexpected visit. "I couldn't decide on whether or not to tell you this sooner, but I eventually decided the less time you had to dwell on this, the better…" The surprisingly tired edge in his father's voice unnerved Tamaki even more. "En route to Japan, specifically en route to this estate, is a young lady by the name of Lady Sonomi Sinclair."

Tamaki remained silent.

"The short, blunt explanation for the reason she is coming is that she is my daughter from my previous marriage."

Tamaki felt his self-restraint slip away. " _Daughter?_ " he cried, nearly leaping from his seat.

Yuzuru impatiently motioned for his son to stay quiet so that he might continue. "Yes, she is my biological daughter from my marriage with who is now Lady Sinclair. She and I divorced early in the marriage when she was newly pregnant with our child. The _original_ plan was for her to marry another Japanese man and pass along our daughter as _his_ legitimate child." Yuzuru ignored his son's horrified expression. "The divorce was scandalous enough without the addition of a newborn child. The hope was that my ex-wife would be able to save as much of her reputation as she could… but that turned to naught when she fell in love with an _English Lord_ …"

Yuzuru Suoh scoffed at the memory. The moment English media caught wind that Lord Edward Sinclair was engaged to a _pregnant_ Japanese woman, the headlines were littered with the words "scandal", "affair", as well as the outdated phrase "out of wedlock". After their divorce, Yuki kept her word that she wouldn't reveal her previous marriage with Yuzuru Suoh. Their time together had been so short and uneventful, that it shouldn't have been difficult for the two of them to disappear into obscurity. Well, for Yuzuru anyway. When their daughter was born and it was evident both of her parents were Japanese, the international media went on a witch hunt to find the father. But when you had as much power and influence as Yuzuru Suoh had, it wasn't too difficult to keep people quiet.

"The issue at hand," said Yuzuru, tiredly rubbing the ends of his fingers up and down his temple, "Is that notable members of both Japan's _and_ England's high societies have begun to realize Lord Sonomi's daughter's relationship to me. If continued to remain unaddressed, the general public will begin formulating ideas and theories that will, eventually, hurt business. Rumors can overthrow kings, Tamaki, remember that. So to prevent this from happening, Lady Sinclair and I have agreed that Sonomi will live in Japan until she is eighteen. This way she is properly introduced to the Japanese high society she originated from and she grows up as a respectable young woman as opposed to a daughter born out of secrets and scandal. It's for everyone's benefit."

When Yuzuru Suoh had finished, Tamaki felt himself grow faint. This was entirely too much to process before breakfast. Without considering the finer details of the situation, he found himself almost _excited_ about a sister; especially one with the title of _Lady Sinclair_. Although there were many questions swirling around in Tamaki's head, he knew that the only information his father was willing to share was exactly what he had divulged during this visit. If there was anything else to say, it wasn't anything Yuzuru Suoh was willing to share with his flamboyant son.

As Yuzuru Suoh stood to leave, he informed Tamaki of one last thing. "She will be moving into the mansion, tonight."

And that was their final exchange before Yuzuru strode out of his study and out of the mansion. This left Tamaki standing numb in the middle of his father's now abandoned office, mindlessly staring out one of the partially open window curtains.

"Excuse me, Master Tamaki?" interrupted a voice.

Tamaki whirled around to see the mansion's housekeeper, Shima, standing in the study's threshold. Her long, crooked finger was pointed towards the time piece that swung around her neck. "You will be late for school if you don't leave now," she warned.

"Of course!" chirped Tamaki, jumping to life at the thought of seeing his friends. Equipped with the _extraordinary_ news of a sister, he was giddy with excitement. As he sauntered out of the office, he was sure to throw Shima one last request, "I have one thing that needs to be done before tonight."

Shima nodded.

"Have the servants prepare a room for Lady Sonomi Sinclair! She is arriving, tonight, and is going to live with us for a while!"

 **…-X-…**

The lessons and lectures of the day were lost on Tamaki as his school schedule dragged on at a sluggish pace. He was too animated by his father's announcement that morning for him to pay attention to his teachers. His abnormally exhilarated state (well, more exhilarated than usual) was not lost on his friend, Kyouya, who confronted Tamaki about it after the day's final class.

"I have the most _unbelievable_ news!" Tamaki insisted, "We need to hurry and gather the Host Club… I need to tell everyone!"

Before Kyouya could respond, he found himself being dragged down the lavish corridor in a whirlwind of Tamaki's impatience and excitement. It took the stoic Ootori a long time before he was able to even _tolerate_ Tamaki Suoh's antics, but now it hardly fazed him. So although he was being forcibly tugged along in an impromptu sprint, he calmly humored the young blonde and followed along.

The rest of the members that made up Ouran High School's Host Club were already conveniently congregating in their reserved classroom, waiting for their leader to make his appearance. Although they anticipated he would arrive in some sort of "typical flourish", they were surprised by a winded Tamaki and Kyouya suddenly leaning against the room's doorway.

"You alright there, boss?" asked a slender boy with unusual red hair. A smug expression pulled at his features and his eyes glinted with mischief. His twin brother was lounging in the seat across from him, chin resting on his palm. The two eyed the new Host Club arrivals with quiet amusement.

Close by, a spritely blonde-haired boy was cradling a pink rabbit doll in his arms. His large, bright eyes studied the breathless two boys pressed against the door's threshold. He frowned in concern. "What happened?"

A tall, brawny young man was seated faithfully beside the doe-eyed boy. He nodded in agreement at his companion's words, but declined to voice his own opinion.

The remaining member of the eclectic group was a curiously feminine young man with cropped brown hair and large, dark eyes. He was seated at a table further away from the group, a textbook open in front of him. While he was surprised by Tamaki and Kyouya's abrupt arrival, his voice didn't offer much sympathy. "Oh, hello, sempais."

Kyouya was the first to recover from their sprint. Pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, he straightened and made his way towards the group. Similar to the dark-eyed boy, he opted to sit apart at his own table and gently placed his laptop in front of him. With the entire group looking expectantly at their blonde leader, Tamaki began with his _fantastic_ news.

"It started with my father paying a visit…" A noticeable chill swept through the room. The very _mention_ of Yuzuru Suoh was disheartening. But Tamaki ignored his companions' tense expressions and continued with his announcement. "He came to tell me that my _sister_ is arriving in Japan, _tonight_."

That certainly roused a response from the group.

The twins had leapt from where they had been sitting, their faces a mixture a shock and anger. It was difficult to know exactly how to react to the appearance of a secret sibling… especially one that was arriving in such a short time frame. As the pair of redheads began to rave their disbelief, the small, childlike boy that had been coddling his doll when Tamaki and Kyouya arrived, began bouncing around the room. With his blonde hair flopping endearingly over his eyes as he skipped around his friends, he began chanting, "Tama-chan has a sister! Tama-chan has a sister!"

The blonde's curiously stoic companion betrayed little evidence of shock. He remained seated in his chair, his dark eyes carefully observing the small chaos that had erupted. The brown-haired boy, who had been flipping through his text book, mirrored the stunned expressions on the twins' faces, although to a lesser degree. Kyouya also uncharacteristically wore a face of surprise. However, his expression was limited to piqued eyebrows and a slight scowl.

"What do you mean you have a _sister?_ " demanded the twins in eerie unison. Their golden eyes glowed with misplaced anger as they leaned close to the leader, urging him to _explain_.

The wide grin on Tamaki's face didn't falter, even when his friends' responses were not as positive as he had hoped. But he understood his motley crew was wildly diverse in terms of personality, so he was grateful he had _some_ kind of reaction. "She's my _half-sister_ ," he clarified. "Father said that her mother was his _first_ wife. They divorced before their daughter was born and was raised by her mother and her mother's second husband in England."

Something clicked in Kyouya's mind. Maintaining his attention on Tamaki's story, he flipped opened his laptop and began typing away. His long, nimble fingers flew across the keyboard with decisive purpose as his dark eyes glinted with concentration. The shift in the young Ootori's composure evaded the notice of everyone in the classroom; everyone except the brown-haired boy sitting nearby.

The feminine young man leaned towards his suddenly motivated companion, straining to get a look at the pages that had been pulled up on his laptop's monitor. "What's the matter, Kyouya-sempai?" he asked.

"I had my suspicions," Kyouya muttered, half to the young man, half to himself. His eyes remained fixated on his computer as he began to pull up old newspaper articles and carefully hidden records. He paused a moment to process all of the information he had retrieved. _I was right_ , he thought coldly. Normally, he enjoyed being right… but this was a rare exception.

"Is her name _Lady Sonomi Anne Sinclair?_ "

Tamaki suddenly drooped with disappointment. "Aw, Kyouya! You ruined my story!" he pouted. With his momentum ruined, Tamaki fell into a chair across from his bespectacled cohort.

The rest of the young men - the twins, the small blonde, and even his brooding companion - gathered around the table Tamaki, Kyouya, and the quiet brown-haired boy were seated. With their dramatic prince childishly fuming across from the Ootori, the rest of the group encouraged Kyouya to continue.

"Is she a _princess?_ " the small blonde asked, his eyes glowing with wonder. He clutched his pink rabbit close to his chest and began bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Kyouya tilted his head. "Not exactly… Although, she is technically a member of the royal family. Her parentage has always been a mysterious topic in British media seeing she is entirely Japanese albeit Lord Sinclair being a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Englishman. Normally adoption isn't really a topic of contention in England's high society; however, Lady Sonomi's mother was pregnant _before_ she married the English lord." Kyouya laced his fingers together, elbows resting on the table's surface. "But what really fueled tabloids was the fact nobody knew who the young lady's biological father was. He was curiously kept in the shadows…" But these were the kinds of things the Shadow King knew best.

"Kept in the shadows… until now," mused the brown-haired boy, his large eyes blinking with fascination. The drama and intrigue of the rich sometimes could be interesting… when they weren't being so annoyingly frivolous.

Kyouya nodded. "I had been doing research once rumors started to resurface about this young woman's lineage, especially since she will be eighteen in a few years. I had theorized that Yuzuru Suoh could be her biological father… My family and the Sinclair's are actually close acquaintances; I had more access to information about her family than most."

This piqued Tamaki's attention. Visibly energized by the Shadow King's revelation, he directed his excited gaze towards the composed Ootori. "Have you met her!?" he implored.

"Yes," Kyouya replied calmly, "I met her a few months ago at her sixteenth birthday."

A brief pause settled on the group waiting for him to expand on his encounter with the mysterious half-sister. But when Kyouya failed to interpret their silent curiosity, one of the twins voiced his impatience. "So? Tell us about her!"

Kyouya's gaze shifted elsewhere, trying to recall details about his small encounter with the young English royal. "She's… odd," he began, "She was quietly reading a book in a corner during her own birthday celebration. I can't imagine that is appropriate behavior for an English royal… but she was well-spoken… poised…"

But this didn't satisfy the twins. "What does she _look_ like?" the other redhead interjected.

Kyouya shrugged. "I suppose she can be considered pretty."

Tamaki began to laugh loudly. "Leave the Shadow King to be so… _cynical_ ," he teased. He remained quiet for the majority of Kyouya's explanation of Lady Sinclair's identity. Much of his information matched what his father had mentioned earlier that day, but he was excited to hear that the Ootori had actually _met_ the mysterious young woman; and that his family and the Sinclair's were amicably acquainted. Suddenly Lady Sonomi began to turn into an actual person in Tamaki's mind instead of an _idea_. She started to adopt a face, a personality, and a strange familiarity… as though Tamaki suspected her existence along and just now realized it.

The twins were only slightly satisfied with Kyouya's revelation about Lady Sonomi being _pretty_. "I guess if Kyouya-sempai thinks she's pretty, she must be at least _somewhat_ good looking," one of them mused.

"Yes," returned the other, "Kyouya-sempai never says that _any_ girl is pretty."

Kyouya ignored the shallow remarks the twins were sharing about the speculated _prettiness_ of Lady Sonomi. He hadn't even mentioned his real concerns about the sudden revelation of Lady Sonomi Sinclair being the legitimate daughter of Yuzuru Suoh _._ It wasn't lost on him that her return to Japanese society and the Suoh estate brought the line of succession for the Suoh fortune into intense speculation. That was one of the reasons he began researching Lady Sonomi's relationship to Yuzuru Suoh the moment he caught wind of rumors swirling around in his family's circles. The loss of Tamaki's legitimacy as heir to his father's fortune wasn't lost on him.

Kyouya sighed before enlightening the blonde prince of the reality the arrival of his half-sister created for him. "Unfortunately, her arrival isn't necessarily good," he said, meeting Tamaki's eyes, "She is the daughter from Yuzuru Suoh's _legitimate marriage_. In the eyes of our world, _she is the ideal heir to the Suoh name._ "

Tamaki felt his world begin to crumble.

 **…-X-…**

By the time Sonomi Sinclair landed in Japan and disembarked the plane, the day had melted well into the late afternoon. Exhausted from her international flight and its early departure time, Sonomi slowly made her way to the airport's baggage claim. Japanese and international travelers pushed past her with distracted urgency, overwhelming her as she tried to maneuver through the terminals.

Once she had finally located the airport's baggage claim, she spotted a sharply dressed man holding a sign with her name written in bold English letters. _This is it_ , she thought as she crossed over to him. "Lady Sonomi?" he asked in heavily accented English.

Sonomi nodded. "That's me," she replied, exercising her Japanese. Although Lady Sinclair raised her daughter with the familiarity of her native language, it was noticeably accented by her upbringing in the United Kingdom. It felt odd to be speaking Japanese with someone who wasn't her mother, but Sonomi understood this would be the norm from here on out.

The uniformed driver graced her with a polite smile before following his charge towards the baggage claim belt. Once Sonomi's conspicuous luggage had been collected and accounted for, the driver and several other airport staff worked to fit everything into the black SUV parked at the street curb. Sonomi watched them in a slight daze. The extensive international flight and the disorienting effects of jetlag and begun to take its toll. _I need to freshen up and compose myself_ , she thought irritably.

Once all of her bags and been snuggly fit into the back of the vehicle, the driver hurried around to open the backdoor and usher Sonomi inside. "We'll be going straight to the Suoh manor," he informed her as he slid into the driver's seat.

Sonomi nodded. Her mother had told her that she would be staying in the Suoh estate and that Yuzuru Suoh had arranged quarters for her. Although Lady Sinclair had insisted with her ex-husband that Sonomi live with _her_ extended family in Japan, Yuzuru stubbornly refused. "He needs you to look as much like his legitimate daughter as you can," Lady Sinclair had explained. She was visibly angered by her ex-husband's innumerable demands. One would think after sixteen years of silence, they would be able to speak affably.

"But your father is set in his ways," her mother had informed Sonomi, "Remember that. He will never place himself in your shoes. He much prefers his own." Sonomi pondered her father's traits and personalities. From what she had gathered by reading magazine articles and listening to her mother's own recollections, he was an incredibly driven man with almost no sense of apathy. By dedicating hours to studying various published photographs, she tried to discern physical likenesses between the two of them. His features were severer and longer than hers, but there was an odd similarity to their eyes; while his eyes had hardened with age, there was a dark softness that Sonomi could see in her own.

The drive to the Suoh manor was excruciatingly long. The estate had been constructed well apart from the nearest town to ensure privacy and exclusivity. Only when the surrounding greenery began to appear more manicured and carefully maintained did Sonomi realize the driver had pulled on to the estate grounds and was ambling along a narrow drive. Sonomi's heart began to flutter. _This is actually happening_ , she thought nervously, sitting straighter in the car's leather seat.

She hadn't noticed that she was holding her breath until a sprawling lavish mansion came into view and she sharply exhaled out of astonishment. The design and ornamentation of the multi-level manor spared no expense or ounce of modesty. Although the Sinclair estate was beautiful in its own right, its age and decline in upkeep gave the stone walls and weathered columns a tired appearance. Lord Sinclair had invested a small fortune into the estate's refurbishment, but there was still a slight shadow of a long life etched firmly in the mansion's cracked moldings and worn marble floors.

The Suoh manor, however, glittered with modern wealth and smug ambition. Although its design served as a tribute to the tall columned facades of European manors, there was something distinctly Japanese in the way the grounds were arranged. As the car pulled around the curved drive, Sonomi began to panic. _This was a mistake_ , she realized, her wide eyes scanning the length of the mansion. _This isn't my world. I don't belong here._ Suddenly she felt very much like Elizabeth Bennet, trapped in the company of the Bingley's and Mr. Darcy when visiting her sick sister at Netherfield Park. She was a stranger in their world and was doomed to endure the silent judgements of smug Miss Bingley and the curt remarks Mr. Darcy would make in her company. _This is my Netherfield Park._

Sonomi wasn't given too much time to fret when the driver rolled to a stop. Wordlessly hopping out of the driver's seat, he strode around to the other side of the car and promptly pulled open Sonomi's car door. She hesitated for a moment before obligingly stepping down out of the SUV. At the sight of the car pulling up to the front of the house, a flurry of uniformed servants flooded out the double doors of the manor to begin retrieving the young woman's luggage. They deftly stepped around Sonomi and hurried up the steps, disappearing into the depths of the mansion.

"You are expected inside," prompted the driver, bowing slightly.

Sonomi snapped out of her reverie and thanked him. After the servants had unloaded her bags and brought them to, what Sonomi assumed, was her designated quarters, they lined the two sides of the marble staircase that led up to the large double doors in a silent greeting. At the top of the stairs was a grim-faced woman standing squarely in the threshold. She bowed stiffly and motioned for Sonomi to come inside. _No turning back now_ , realized Sonomi, her feet almost moving on their own accord.

"Welcome to the lesser Suoh manor," greeted the old woman, her expression firm and impassive, "My name is Shima, I am the head housekeeper of this estate."

Sonomi became confused. " _Lesser_ Suoh manor?"

Shima nodded curtly as she ushered Sonomi inside, the servants brushing past them as they filed back into the manor. "Your father's wish is that you remain here for the duration of your time in Japan. It is more suitable for a young woman being introduced to the society surrounding the Suoh family. You would be too much in the public eye if you were to stay in the primary property."

"I suppose that makes sense…" muttered Sonomi. She was too distracted by the lavish interior of the foyer to pay much attention to Shima's clarification. An incredibly elaborate crystal chandelier dangled from the painted ceilings above them, and the brightly paneled walls were lined with antique paintings and furniture. Their feet was cushioned by a plush, oriental rug rolled out over the sparkling marble floors. It was overwhelmingly opulent compared to the hushed, discreet tastes of England's high society.

The brusque housekeeper impatiently cleared her throat, pulling Sonomi out of her thoughts. "Master Tamaki Suoh also resides in the mansion. Your father feels that it would be beneficial for you to meet and coexist, especially since you will be joining him at Ouran Academy."

As though the mention of the name was enough to magically summon the young Suoh, Tamaki appeared at the top of the wide marble staircase that extended up to a lofted second story. He had changed out of his school uniform, opting to wear a simple outfit consisting of a crisp designer shirt and pressed dress trousers. His lush blonde hair had been lightly combed so that it curled purposefully mussed over his forehead. His blue eyes studied Sonomi in obvious fascination, his thin lips stretching into a warm smile.

"Welcome, sister!"

Sonomi was overcome with emotions. She was still physically weary from the long journey and the jetlag was becoming more evident by the hour. Although her limbs ached and she was uncomfortable in the clothes she felt she had been wearing for _days_ , the manifestation of her half-brother suddenly inspired her. For months, her life as a _Suoh_ had been confined to journals, magazines, and her mother's memory. _Now_ , it had become a physical reality: she was standing in a Suoh mansion staring up into the eyes of her Suoh _sibling_.

"Hello…" Sonomi said. Her already weak voice was now even more breathless due to the rush of emotion that overwhelmed her.

Tamaki didn't know how he'd react when he saw his half-sister. When he first learned of her existence, it was all new and exciting. He pictured a bright young girl that he could commiserate with and adore. But when his dear friend, Kyouya, revealed the disheartening reality that the revelation of Lady Sonomi Sinclair as his father's legitimate daughter threw his right of inheritance into question, Tamaki was dismayed.

But looking down at the dark-haired girl standing nervously in the middle of the foyer, he suddenly felt sorry for her. Sonomi's warm brown eyes were rimmed by long, dark lashes and her brown hair, glinting with auburn lowlights, had been twisted back in a messy bun. Her travel clothes - which were dark to mask any filth or stains that might accumulate during a long journey - hung loosely from her shoulders and slight hips, hiding her feminine curves. What struck Tamaki most was the lost expression on the girl's face. She didn't exude the determination of a scheming sibling nor did she hold the expected haughty composure of English royalty. Lady Sonomi Sinclair looked like a frightened girl that suddenly found herself in foreign land surrounded by complete strangers. _Which she is_ , Tamaki realized, _she's just a girl far from home._

Softened by pity, Tamaki motioned for her to follow him upstairs. "I'll show you to your room. I'm sure you're tired."

Sonomi nodded dumbly. After quickly thanking Shima, she grabbed the bag she had been toting since she landed in Japan, Sonomi slowly met Tamaki at the top of the staircase. The half-siblings shared a serene moment, silently studying each other. The brother towered over the girl so she needed to slightly crane her neck to get a good look at him. _He's handsome_ , she thought. His blonde hair and blue eyes must have been inherited from his French mother. The only traits Sonomi could discern that they shared were the shape of their noses and the curvature of their mouths.

Tamaki was the one to interrupt the moment, turning slightly to gesture towards the right wing of the mansion. "Your room is in the private residences, a few doors down from mine. I think you'll like it. Shima and I tried to make it as _English_ as we could so you'd be comfortable."

"Oh, thank you," said Sonomi, struck by his efforts to make her feel at home. _He certainly isn't obligated to have anything to do with me_ , she thought, _let alone actually be kind._

She timidly followed the tall blonde as he slowly began to make his towards her room. The long corridor they followed along matched the design and color palate of the brightly hued foyer. A rich, maroon carpet stretched out in front of them and out of sight around a sharp corner. The high paneled walls and sparkling chandeliers payed tribute to the careful care of the manor's large staff. _Shima clearly takes pride in this mansion_ , mused Sonomi, studying the corridors detailed moldings and opulent wall hangings.

After turning the corner and passing by a few more closed doors, Tamaki and Sonomi stopped in front of a pair of large white double doors. "This is your room," said the tall blonde, reaching out to grasp one of the door's handles.

Sonomi gasped when he pushed open the door revealing one of the most beautiful bedrooms she had ever seen. The tall doors opened into a small sitting area containing fine parlor furniture that looked remarkably like the antiques that sat in the Sinclair manor. The wall paper that stretched upwards from the tall dark wall panels were a subtle floral pattern that was reminiscent of décor Sonomi had seen in old English halls. A large, square entry way led into the main part of the bedroom, acting as a divider between the room's reception space and the main sleeping area.

Sonomi gasped. "It's _beautiful_." The bedroom was an overwhelming size with a massive king-sized bed pushed up against the wall on their right, and a beautiful study area was placed between two French doors on the wall directly across from them. The doors were framed by long, heavy curtains tied back by thick golden ropes. A large, opulent vanity was set up against the wall to the left next to a smaller set of double doors that opened up into, what Sonomi assumed, was the washroom. In the middle of the room was _another_ small sitting area with larger, more comfortable couches and chairs gathered around a low, round table.

But what really stole Sonomi's breath were the small, familiar details Tamaki had invested in the room. The room's wallpaper, light fixtures, draperies, and furniture were all of English design and paid a tribute to her adopted home. Patriotic bunting was strung all along the walls, intertwining with small, charming fairy lights. Vintage posters and photos covered the dark, striped wallpaper, instilling a deep sense of nostalgia in Sonomi. The plush furniture gathered in the middle of her room was purposefully mismatched and covered with soft, patterned pillows. Even the canopy that hung above her bed was lined with small, golden tassels in accordance to old English taste.

Sonomi felt tears begin to gather in the corner of her eyes. "It's so lovely… thank you."

Tamaki was touched by Sonomi's genuine reaction to her special room. She clearly didn't have any expectations for anyone to accommodate her during her time in Japan. Tamaki could sense the feeling of _obligation_ that radiated from her stiff composure and timid expression. She regarded Tamaki with careful propriety rather than the cold ambition Kyouya Ootori was wary of. _I think we'll become good friends_ , Tamaki decided.

Sonomi slowly moved about her room; her fingers grazing the polished wood of her bed's banister and her eyes gazing up at the candlelit chandelier hanging from the middle of the tall ceiling. Tamaki gave her a moment to wander before drawing her attention to the pair of French doors built into the far wall. "I think you'll like this most of all," he assured her.

With Sonomi following his lead, Tamaki gracefully threw open one of the pair of doors. The two of them were greeted by the warm glow and cool breeze of late evening. Sonomi gasped as she was ushered out onto a beautiful, sprawling veranda. The shape of the balcony curved into a U-shape out from her room and was decorated with beautiful outdoor furniture and exotic potted plants. The view from the veranda was the entirety of the Suoh property which looked as though it stretched on forever. The grounds were carefully manicured and maintained, with a small fountain in the distance, glinting in the evening light.

"This is all so amazing," Sonomi said quietly. She was leaning up against the low, columned railing that lined the perimeter of the balcony. Her dark eyes peered out in wonder at the beautiful greenery that stretched out beneath them and she smiled. Tamaki, leaning against the rail beside Sonomi, studied her with quiet admiration.

"It's difficult to be so far from home. I understand how you must feel. You must also have been as nervous to meet me as I was to meet you…" Tamaki's voice was calm and encouraging, prompting Sonomi to turn towards him.

Tamaki's presence was oddly comforting; certainly the opposite from what Sonomi expected. She had braced herself for him to hate her. _My existence contests his right to our father's fortune. He has every right to despise me._ But the genuine kindness in her brother's deep blue eyes convinced Sonomi otherwise. Suddenly, she felt very close to him. _He must be a kindred spirit_ , Sonomi thought.

"I'm sorry that I'm so nervous… I find it difficult to talk to people I just met," Sonomi explained, smiling shyly. "I don't know what's going to happen… I don't even know if coming to Japan was _truly_ the right decision. But I felt in my heart that this was something I needed to do. All my life I never knew the identity of my birth-father; I felt like a piece of me was kept in the dark. When I learned that Yuzuru Suoh was… my father," Sonomi struggled to say the words, thinking of her adoptive father back in England. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I felt like I understood myself _for the first time_. Believe me; I'm not here for title or fortune. I just… I just want to know where I came from."

Tamaki sympathized with his sister. Half of his own parentage was locked away in his father's stubborn silence. _If I found out about my mother and where she was, I would want to be part of that world, as well_ , he thought. Suddenly the two siblings were more similar than they ever expected. They were two spirits trying to navigate a complicated and treacherous world, when all they wanted was the chance to be themselves. But when the reputation of a prominent family is at stake, you can never truly be _free_.

"I want to get to know you," said Tamaki. His composure had brightened considerably, gracing Sonomi with a wide smile. "And the members of the Ouran Host Club can't _wait_ to meet you!"

Sonomi recoiled. " _Host Club?_ "

"Hunny-sempai will love you instantly, I'm sure," rambled Tamaki, oblivious to Sonomi's unsure frown, "And if Hunny-sempai loves you, Mori-sempai will like you, too. The devilish twins might be slow to warm up to you, though. I think they're secretly worried for my sake. But since you're _so_ pretty, they'll definitely want to dress you in their mother's clothes. And Haruhi will like you since you act a little like a commoner… I think she would appreciate that. The only one who might be hard to impress is Kyouya… but he's always hard to impress, so I'm not too worried."

Sonomi perked up at the sound of Kyouya's name. "Kyouya? Kyouya _Ootori?_ "

Tamaki's grin widened. "Oh, yes, I forgot you two have already met! He was impressed with you… even though he would never admit it. But I could tell."

Sonomi blushed. She didn't think she made much of an impression on the impassive young man. _That's good, I guess_ , she thought, her mind dwelling on their small conversation during her birthday party a few months prior.

Tamaki felt invigorated by his decision to graciously adopt Sonomi as his sister and introduce her to his closest friends. He was convinced that she would be a wonderful addition to their group. His thoughts avoided the more serious topics of _inheritance_ and _legitimacy_. Lady Sonomi Sinclair had only just arrived and she assured him she wasn't chasing the Suoh fortune. _She's family_ , he thought blissfully _, and she just wants to understand her place in the world_.

"Mother is so excited that he has another little girl!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around his flustered sister.

Sonomi flailed in his vice-like grip, her face pressed up against Tamaki's chest. Fighting his hold, she slowly processed her brother's bizarre declaration. "Did you just call yourself _, mother_!?"

But Tamaki ignored her as he began to ramble excitedly about how amazing her life in Japan was going to be. Giving up on trying to escape his embrace, Sonomi leaned against her brother. _He's very odd_ , she decided, _but he's very kind. Things certainly could be worse._ For a moment Sonomi didn't think about her family on the other side of the world; she also didn't think about the mysterious Yuzuru Suoh she had yet to meet. Instead, she concentrated on the excited blonde twirling her around the veranda and the exciting adventures that were in store for her.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Woah, that was a long time and took forever... I wanted to move the plot along at least a little bit more. I certainly can't promise that my updates will be so close together as these two were. But I'm feeling very inspired, so who knows. (But I think I'll need to rewatch the anime first before I write too much more)._

 _Thank you so much for reading and I hope you continue to do so! Certainly love any comments with any questions or critiques you might have. I'm hoping the whole concept of Sonomi being a Suoh isn't too convoluted... but I apologize if it's a little wordy._

 _Much love._

 _\- I'm Going on an Adventure (formally known as the Irish Baroness)_


	3. Three

**Do You Dance, Mr. Darcy?**

 _I'm Going on an Adventure  
_

(All Standard Disclaimers Apply)  


* * *

 **Chapter Three  
**

 _"She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." - Fitwilliam Darcy  
_

* * *

The few days following Sonomi's arrival to Japan were dedicated to her settling into her new life as a member of the Suoh family. After being comfortably moved in under the attention and care of her half-brother, Sonomi was adjusting to life in the Suoh manor… or at least attempting to. She very much felt like an outsider in this strange, flamboyant estate. But it certainly wasn't a terrible place to start a new life… especially when her room was as delightfully _warm_ and _posh_ as Tamaki and Shima ensured it to be.

Sonomi's first morning waking in the opulent mansion was incredibly disorienting. Once mid-morning approached, a small army of servants flooded into her bedroom to prepare Sonomi for her day. They began to wordlessly whirl around her room opening her curtains, turning on her lights, and throwing open the doors to her massive wardrobe. The sudden intrusion frightened Sonomi out of her deep sleep and she gave a loud cry in surprise.

However, the invasive servants ignored her mortified expression and tired protests as they carried out their tasks _as instructed by the young Master Tamaki_. Sighing, Sonomi gave up trying to convince the servants to leave her in peace. Several of the uniformed young women had been skimming through her wardrobe piecing together an outfit for Sonomi to wear. Eventually they settled on a dark pleated skirt paired with a thin, flowy blouse. They held out their selection towards the young girl. Still buried in her bed sheets - her dark hair swirling wildly about her head - Sonomi nodded tiredly in approval. _This will be something to grow accustomed to, I guess_ , she thought.

After shooing the servants out so that she could dress in peace, Sonomi seated herself at the ornate vanity situated across the room from her bed. The mirror reflected a droopy-eyed teenager with unkempt hair and puffy features - swollen from exhaustion. There was a six hour time difference between where she was and her home back in England so her body struggled to cope with the new sleeping pattern.

 _I need to use plenty of cosmetics this morning to look even remotely functioning_ , Sonomi thought grimly, poking her swollen eyelids.

After taking a hot shower and quickly drying her hair, she deftly applied a variation of face cream, concealer, and mascara to liven up her weary face. Pausing to study herself in the mirror, she decided it would be most effective to redden her cheeks and darken her eyebrows as well. Once every powder and pigment had been carefully applied, Sonomi turned her attention to the outfit spread out on her bed.

 _I suppose it was chosen for its conservative nature_ , thought Sonomi, holding up the dark skirt. Most of her wardrobe was full of similarly dark and unassuming clothing. She much preferred the safety of and gray and dark hues rather than adventuring into brighter colors. To balance the severity of her closet, Sonomi had a collection of pastel blouses and dresses varying in styles and materials. Her fashion taste was very simple and minimalist, focusing on quality and fit rather than modern trends.

Sonomi quickly ran a brush through her hair after pulling on her outfit and gave her brown locks one last mist of hairspray before approving the whole look. She had opted to wear the small charm bracelet her mother gifted her that previous Christmas and a pair of simple diamond studs. _Too plain_ , she thought, twirling in front of the full length mirror. Spying her collection of lipsticks gathered in a porcelain bowl on her vanity, she quickly grabbed a matte brick color.

 _This works_ , she decided, pursing her lips and studying their new shade of red. Sonomi was sure her style differed from typical Japanese fashion, but she was too tired to really care. She also dreaded ever wearing the bright and abrasive clothing she had once seen on a Japanese television show before she left home… it horrified her English upbringing.

"Good morning, Lady Sonomi," greeted Shima.

Sonomi had just made her way into one of the front parlors where the housekeeper greeted her with calm propriety. Surprised by her presence, Sonomi bowed politely and returned the morning pleasantry. The room itself had been arranged so that a round breakfast table was situated in the middle of the room with small armed chairs gathered around it. Shima gestured towards one of these chairs for Sonomi to take a seat.

Sonomi obligingly took her place at the table and observed the impressive assortment of breakfast foods that was displayed in front of her. The large spread was comprised of a mixture of typical Western and Japanese breakfast items, each exquisitely prepared. "These look amazing, thank you," she commended, selecting a particularly flaky looking croissant.

Shima nodded and filled Sonomi's empty porcelain mug with freshly brewed coffee. The smell of the rich, roasted blend was delicious and soothing, prompting Sonomi to select another pastry to eat with it. Allowing Sonomi a moment to herself, Shima stepped back to observe the manor's newest occupant. The two of them were the only ones present in the east facing parlor that morning. The room's design was dedicated to host morning meals and meetings - baby blues and pale pinks were the main color palate and tall windows lined the entirety of the parlor's northern wall.

After Sonomi had finished her breakfast, she turned to face the poised housekeeper. "Is Tamaki at school?" she asked.

Shima nodded stiffly. "Yes, the young master is attending his classes, today. He should be returning later this afternoon; possibly in the early evening."

"Ah, I see." Sonomi felt rather disappointed that she wouldn't be seeing her brother until much later. She hadn't really had the opportunity to speak with him the night before. After he began rambling about his friends and Ouran, she shooed him out so she could retire for the night.

"I believe you will start your own schooling at Ouran Academy in a few days," continued Shima. "Your uniform should be arriving, tomorrow. I also suggest you skim over your courses and see if you can catch up with the other students. The school year started a few weeks ago, so you might be a little behind."

Sonomi nodded. "Yes, of course… and do you know when I will be meeting with Yuzuru Suoh? I would very much like to see him as soon as possible."

Shima's countenance grew visibly dark at the mention of Sonomi's father. "Master Suoh is a very busy man who hardly visits this mansion. I can't imagine he should be coming to see you anytime soon. When he sees it suitable to meet with you, he will make you aware."

Sonomi was disappointed by Shima's response. She had been hoping to meet with Yuzuru Suoh as soon as she had arrived to the Suoh estate. But when she had learned that this was the _lesser_ manor, she realized she wasn't even going to be living in the same mansion as her father. Sonomi's continued separation from him bothered her immensely. _I traveled to the other side of the world to meet him!_ She thought bitterly, _and I haven't heard anything from him at all since I've arrived._ But Sonomi knew it would be useless to argue with the stern housekeeper, so she merely nodded in acknowledgement.

Suddenly, Shima clapped her hands. Almost immediately a line of servants burst into the parlor and quickly took away Sonomi's breakfast and settings. Sonomi sat dazed as the hired staff moved swiftly around her, not a single drop of coffee or cake crumb leaving their respective plates. She had to admit, it was very impressive. _They must practice._

The rest of the day was comprised of a loose itinerary of exploring the mansion's grounds, studying for her time at Ouran, and calling her mother. The rooms in the manor that Sonomi enjoyed the most was the massive library in the estate's western wing, and the greenhouse-esque sunroom that extended out from the back of the mansion and towards the gardens. It reminded her of home when she and her family would have tea in the sanctuary of the glass paneled room during gray, rainy afternoons. _I should think I'll be spending a lot of time there_ , she thought fondly.

Once the grounds were thoroughly explored and mentally documented, Sonomi returned to her room later in the afternoon to call her mother. It would have been an early hour in England, but she wouldn't have been surprised if her mother was awake and gardening in the small plot of land that she maintained on the side of the Sinclair estate. Lady Sinclair found it therapeutic and often tended to her little garden when she was upset or in deep thought.

"Hello?" answered her mother's voice.

Sonomi smiled. "Good morning, mother! You're up early."

Lady Sinclair's soft chuckle tickled Sonomi's ears. "I woke up early to tend to my garden… I was just thinking about my little girl gallivanting around Japan. I realized I never warned you about the handsome, charming young men you might encounter during your time abroad…"

"Oh, mother," sighed Sonomi. Her mother always found a way to incorporate _handsome, young men_ into a conversation. While she appreciated that her mother was so insistent she fall in love - as opposed to being pressured into an arranged marriage like herself - Sonomi felt she was always a little _too_ insistent.

"All handsome men aside," continued Lady Sinclair, adhering to her daughter's embarrassed sigh. "Tell me about your arrival to the Suoh estate! Did you meet your father?"

Sonomi tried to sound cheerful as she shared her first impressions with her mother. While the staff had been kind and generous moving Sonomi into the mansion, she learned she had been moved into the _lesser_ estate and Yuzuru Suoh hardly ever came by. She also hadn't been contacted by her father and wasn't given a way to get in touch with him. According to the mansion's sour-faced housekeeper, Sonomi needed to simply _sit and wait_.

"But… I did meet Tamaki," said Sonomi, turning towards a brighter topic. "And he's surprisingly lovely. He made sure my room was _as_ _English as possible!_ He also seems very open-minded to me being here. It must not be easy knowing we're practically competing for the Suoh fortune…"

" _Are_ you competing?" her mother interjected.

Sonomi paused, thinking about her response carefully. She hadn't truly given too much thought to her possible inheritance of the Suoh name. During her time committed to preparing for life in Japan, Sonomi was preoccupied by the notion of her biological father and everything about his world; not necessarily about her place _in it_.

Suddenly, she was struck with a realization. "No," Sonomi said slowly, sitting up on her bed. "I don't want to compete with him." Tamaki seemed so genuine and sincere. Although they had met for the first time the previous night, she felt like she had known him all her life. _It's so bizarre_ , she thought, _maybe because we have so much in common… a world of wealth, a broken family, a contested right of inheritance…_

"Just… remember what I said about cutting ties," cautioned Lady Sinclair. "I wouldn't simply go up to Yuzuru Suoh and say ' _no_ '. Knowing my ex-husband, he would find a way to _coerce_ you into thinking otherwise."

There was an unnerving weight Sonomi's mother placed on the word "coerce"; as though that was the _nice_ way of putting it. "I remember," assured Sonomi. "I'll be smart about this. I do have time… I don't need to make any real decisions until I'm eighteen. In the meantime, I need to focus on teenager things like _school_. You went to Ouran Academy, right? What can you tell me about it?"

Lady Sinclair laughed. "Well, I can tell you one thing… I hope they got rid of those _hideous_ yellow uniforms."

* * *

A horrified Sonomi studied her reflection in the full length mirror. _They didn't get rid of the yellow uniforms_ , she silently moaned. Just as her mother had described in one of their phone calls a few days earlier, the pale yellow dress was a depressing combination of an eighteenth century maid's uniform and a sad, deflated confectionery. The accompanying long, white stockings and thick soled Mary Jane shoes made the ensemble all the more ridiculous. Sonomi considered taking a picture of the outfit and sending it to her mother, but decided against it when she figured evidence of this _costume_ would come back to haunt her.

 _Maybe I can avoid being photographed in this dress until I graduate,_ she thought. Sonomi figured that would be impossible, especially considering the relentless presence of the paparazzi around town. It wouldn't take much for someone to snap a picture of her getting out of her car in the morning for it to find its way back to England where the tabloids would _love_ to poke fun at her in the new, Japanese school uniform.

"Lady Sonomi," came Shima's voice from the other side of her bedroom door. "Master Tamaki is already waiting in the car. It is time for school.

"Coming!" Sonomi responded. She finished twisting her hair back into a modest ballerina bun before meeting Shima outside in the corridor. _It's probably best I keep make-up and jewelry to a minimum_ , Sonomi had reasoned as she was getting ready, _No matter what, I'll stand out being the new girl. I shouldn't give everyone more of a reason to stare._

Just as Shima had said, Tamaki Suoh was reclining in the back of the stretch limo waiting for his sister to join him. _His_ uniform was a much more preferable pale blue color and lacked the pomp and frills Sonomi's uniform dress was burdened to have. Slightly annoyed by his more _dashing_ uniform design, Sonomi bid her brother a short "Good morning" and slid into the seat across from him.

If Sonomi's tone held any sign of her irritation, Tamaki didn't notice it. "Good morning, sister!" he crooned, flashing an endearing smile. "Are you excited for your first day at Ouran?"

 _No._ "Yes."

"Excellent! I'll help you find your classes. Ouran is exceedingly large so it's easy to get lost if you don't know where you're going. But I'm sure you'll be fine. And remember to meet me after your last class," Tamaki insisted, leaning closer towards his sister for emphasis, "I need to introduce you to the Host Club".

Sonomi was still slightly unnerved by the notion of Ouran's _Host Club_. Tamaki had explained to her that it was a successful and wildly popular organization he devised with Kyouya Ootori - something which Sonomi found _very_ hard to believe - and that it was a harmless concept. Tamaki even went into detail about the innumerable female visitors the club received and all of the themed parties they were known to throw; not to mention the eclectic collection of costumes they often wore to entertain their patrons.

 _There was nothing mother could have said that would have prepared me for this_ , Sonomi thought numbly, half paying attention to Tamaki as he continued to go into detail about his handsome compatriots. If she were to be honest with herself, Sonomi was a little nervous to see the young Ootori, again. Obviously he remembered her since he had mentioned their meeting to Tamaki… but that didn't necessarily mean he remembered for _good_ reasons.

 _He probably thinks I'm weird and bookish_ she decided, leaning against the car window. Her dark eyes studied the blurred greenery as the limo continued on its journey to Ouran. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she tried to focus on the small book she had remembered to tuck away in her bag before leaving the mansion. Sonomi hoped that she would be able to find some time to steal away with it and distract herself with the adventures of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitwilliam Darcy. She knew reading the book would give her comfort, something she _severely_ lacked in her present state of mind. _But it's only a new school,_ Sonomi tried to reason with herself, _how bad could it be?_

 **…-X-…**

Sonomi probably shouldn't have been so surprised at the sight of Ouran when the limo pulled up in front of the academy, but she couldn't stop herself from gaping at the school's impressive façade. The images she had found in magazines simply did not do the school justice. The lay-out of the school's grounds mirrored large, square Italian piazzas that Sonomi toured almost every summer growing up in Europe. The landscaping was manicured into exact parallel lines, and fountains of various sizes shimmered at various corners of the lawns.

The school itself reminded Sonomi of classic English country homes from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Each building boasted at least five stories with large, vaulted ceilings. Tall, narrow windows glistened in the morning sun, and the pastel pink of the buildings' stone walls softened the school's overall imposing nature. From where she and Tamaki stood once - they clamored out of their limo - Sonomi could see a tall clock tower with what looked like a cathedral dome not far from them. Lady Sonomi Sinclair attended England's best educational institutions up until that point, but none of them held the glamour and opulence that Ouran Academy possessed.

"This is unbelievable," Sonomi muttered. She was clutching her school bag close to her chest, her brown eyes darting nervously upwards. She suddenly felt very, very small.

Tamaki glanced down at his sister, his blues eyes softening. "You'll do fine. You're a Suoh, after all… and the chairman's daughter! It will all come naturally."

Sonomi froze. "Chairman's daughter?" she repeated.

Tamaki had started walking towards the school, one hand stuffed squarely in his trouser pocket while the other swung his leather school bag over his shoulder. He paused and glanced back at Sonomi when he sensed her distress. "Is something the matter?"

"Our father is… _the chairman of the board at Ouran?_ "

Sonomi ashamedly realized that with all of her research and preparation, she never bothered to find out who was Ouran's director. This information was incredibly exclusive and would not have been accessible to her through basic means, but she should have had the foresight to inquire with the academy itself to learn specifics about the faculty and staff. _But… I was just so caught up with so many things_. Yuzuru Suoh's position as director must have been relatively recent since Sonomi's mother never mentioned it, either. _I wonder what else I overlooked_ , Sonomi thought bitterly to herself.

Tamaki blinked dumbly. "Oh, did I not mention it? I assumed you knew."

Sonomi willed herself to calm down. "Oh, no… it's fine. I was just surprised, I guess. I didn't realize…" She was going to need to stop these little surprises from getting to her if she was going to get through this day, let alone the next year. _Of course I wasn't going to know everything from day one_ , Sonomi reasoned with herself, _I just have to get used to the fact that… there's a lot to get used to!_

After tugging on her skirt and smoothing down her hair, Sonomi smiled at her brother before following him through the school's front doors. Immediately she felt the stares that were brazenly aimed at her and her brother. Countless young women glared openly at the English girl, their expressions a combination of envy and disbelief. If the ambiance of the school made Sonomi feel small, the glowering eyes of her peers made her feel even smaller…

After following her brother down a confusing combination of corridors, the pair stopped in front of a classroom door. It was still a little before classes would begin, so the lighthearted chatter of school peers and the sharp clacking of polished shoes against marble bounced off of the corridor's finely paneled walls. Various groups of students brushed past the two of them, either into the classroom or towards a similar looking door further down the hall.

Tamaki grinned widely and motioned towards the door left slightly ajar in front of them. "This is your classroom," he announced, "I will only be a little further down the hall."

Sonomi nodded. "Excellent, thank you so much Tamaki."

"Oh, wait," said Tamaki, suddenly, as Sonomi was turning to enter the classroom, "Would you like to eat, together? Lunch is at noon sharp. I was planning on dining with the rest of the host club."

Sonomi offered her brother a regretful smile. "Actually, I was looking forward to some time for myself. I'm just feeling so overwhelmed… But I look forward to meeting her friends after classes end."

At the mention of her meeting the host club, Tamaki beamed. The excitement of introducing his new _sister_ to his best friends overshadowed the realization she had just declined a meal with him. "Very well!" he chirped, "have a great first day of school! I will meet you here at the end of the day so I can escort you to the host club."

With a chuckle and a wave, Tamaki practically began skipping down the hallway to his classroom, leaving a very amused and slightly surprised Sonomi. _He is a very difficult person to disappoint_ , she wondered in subtle awe, _he's been nothing but cheerful ever since my arrival_. However, the happy aura of her brother was not shared by their fellow peers. As Sonomi walked into her new classroom, she immediately felt the cold and treacherous glares of a room full of jealous teenage girls.

Sonomi felt herself feeling more annoyed rather than fearful of her female classmates. _I have so much on my plate that I cannot even begin to fathom addressing their petty jealousy_ , she thought. It was obvious that Tamaki was a favorite heartthrob at Ouran Academy and Sonomi had introduced herself as an unexpected and undesirable romantic threat. _I'll just wait until everyone learns we're related. I'm sure that will put everyone's minds… and hearts at ease._

As Sonomi fidgeted with her desk and stationary, the young man seated in front of her spun around and promptly introduced himself. "Hello! I'm Andrew. Andrew Van Vulkenburg. You must be new."

Sonomi blinked in surprise. "Oh… yes. Today is my first day. I'm Sonomi Sinclair." She was struck by the realization the young man in front of her did not look at all Japanese. If his name hadn't given his ethnicity away, his facial features and accent certainly did. Unlike the smooth, softer features of their predominately Japanese classmates, Andrew had the sharp, pronounced characteristics of someone with a European lineage.

The mysterious young man noticed Sonomi's surprise and felt the need to explain himself. "Ah, yes, I know that look. No, I am not Japanese. I'm from Germany…"

A sudden realization hit Sonomi. "Of, course! Son of the automotive mogul, Karl Van Vulkenburg. I knew you seemed familiar. We must have run into each other at some gala or other." Before Sonomi was granted some form of autonomy in her teenage years, she was subjected to a wide variety of prestigious galas and events. It was at these lavish parties that Lady Sonomi Sinclair was introduced to many members of many important families from around Europe. She found the Van Vulkenburg name to be very familiar.

Andrew laughed before replying in English, "Yes, we have met, once. I'm surprised you remember. It was a very long time ago, to be sure."

"Well, it is nice to see you again, Andrew," Sonomi said, a little relieved to be speaking in English, again. Her Japanese was still sub-par and she found herself stumbling over her words more often than she liked. "But I have to say, I'm surprised that you're a student at Ouran. Surely Germany has its own fine academies."

Andrew was able to decipher the teasing tone in Sonomi's voice. "I could say the same about you and England," he countered, arching a fine eyebrow, "Was it your mother's idea?"

Sonomi gave a weak laugh. "Something like that…"

"Well, I won't ask for all the details. But I can tell you're curious about my attendance, here. Some of the biggest automotive companies in the world are in Japan, and I thought it would be a good idea to become involved in the industry outside of Europe. My oldest brother is working on taking over the company in Germany, my older sister is engaged to one of the heirs of the Ford Company, and so I'm hoping to help my family's company by moving into the Asian market," Andrew paused, "that's the simple explanation, anyway."

Sonomi was impressed by the young man's ambition. "That sounds brilliant, to me," she commended him, "however, I can't say I know much about automobiles. So my compliments might not amount to much."

"Nonsense," Andrew assured her, his blue eyes sparkling, "Any compliment from such a beautiful girl is worth a fortune."

Sonomi felt her face grow incredibly warm. Outside of the context of a carefully monitored and orchestrated ball, Andrew appeared to be as flirtatious and bold as any other boy his age. She doubted he would have been so audacious if they were surrounded by their parents and chaperons. _It's embarrassing, but the freedom to say and act more liberally is oddly refreshing. Even if this boy is being ridiculous._

Andrew took Sonomi's lack of a response as evidence of her discomfort. "Ah, I'm sorry," he said, his expression softening, "That was out of line. I'm just trying to be cheerful. I know what it's like being the new student, especially being a foreigner."

"Oh, don't be sorry, I'm not upset," Sonomi assured him, "I just… wasn't expecting that!"

Andrew laughed in relief. He was about to say something else when their conversation was cut short by the start of class. Offering Sonomi one last smile, the charming German spun back around in his chair to face the front of the room. As their teacher began to introduce that morning's lesson, Sonomi realized she was feeling much less anxious than she had been when she walked into the classroom. _At the very least I have Tamaki and now I have Andrew_ , she thought, reasoning with herself, _and I have yet to meet Tamaki's friends. I think I will be able to fit in, here._

Sonomi felt her breath catch in her throat when she caught the gaze of a particularly vexed female classmate sitting a few desks away from her. _Um… maybe not…_

 **…-X-…**

The rest of Sonomi's day went relatively well. Andrew proved to be an excellent "first day" companion. He helped her navigate some of Ouran's more confusing campus wings, introduced her to a variety of well-mannered, interesting people - "These are some of the less… 'frivolous' students at Ouran," he had explained, "There's a very privileged culture at Ouran, to be sure. Especially when dealing with the Host Club." Sonomi felt it wasn't necessary to mention her brother was the _president_ of the Host Club - Andrew also introduced Sonomi to her favorite reading spot.

During their lunch break, he steered her away from the more popular school gardens and led her to a small courtyard tucked away in one of the furthest wings. He explained these were some of the more "outdated" corridors on campus and only a handful of courses were still taught in the classrooms. Luckily, there was a small sunlit sanctuary characterized by bushes, blossoms, and empty curved arches that bordered the outdoor hallway. It was here that Sonomi stole away to when she had a moment's opportunity to sit out by the courtyard's bubbling fountain and read her book.

At the end of the day, she had finished waving goodbye to Andrew when her half-brother practically pounced on her in the middle of the hallway. "Sonomi!" he said, excitedly, grasping her hands. Sonomi could hear the collective gasps of a group of girls lingering nearby. _How is he_ this _unaware of all of these ogling girls_ , she marveled, studying her brother's mirthful expression. It occurred to her that perhaps he wasn't naive… he was just _immune_.

"Hello, Tamaki," she said, trying to ignore the venomous stares of the gawking female crew, "how was your day?"

Tamaki release his tight grasp on his sister's hands before giving a dramatic yawn. "Dull," he said, unabashedly, "I was too impatient to introduce you to the Host Club to care about lessons, today."

"Oh, Tamaki," scolded Sonomi, clucking her tongue, "your lessons are important."

"Yes, yes… but, anyway, we must hurry to the music room before we start this afternoon's agenda. We're terribly busy every day and I want to make sure you get a chance to meet everyone."

And with that, Tamaki latched on to Sonomi's wrist and began to lead her down the corridor. Really, it felt more like he was _dragging_ her past classroom after classroom. Sonomi felt herself struggling to keep pace with his broad strides and she demanded that he slow down several times. However, he ignored her pleas and Sonomi had to settle on half-walking/half-jogging behind her brother the whole way.

"Here we are!" he finally declared, pulling Sonomi to a stop in front of a relatively unassuming classroom.

Sonomi was rather surprised. "This is where the Host Club works?"

Tamaki flashed her knowing smirk. "Never judge a book by its cover, love." He then winked at her before slowly pushing open the classroom door.

Sonomi braced herself for fanfare and celebration. Instead, she was calmly greeted by a row of young six young men, still dressed in their school uniform. She was suddenly disappointed with the whole reveal. _With how Tamaki has been painting the Host Club, I was expecting something a little more… ridiculous,_ she admitted to herself.

"Welcome, Lady Sinclair," echoed the men as she and Tamaki entered the classroom.

After getting a better look at everyone, she was suddenly struck with how handsome each of them was. She became particularly flustered when her curious gaze settled on Kyouya Ootori who was standing aloof at the end of the line, a laptop tucked under his arm and his other hand resting on his hip. The expression on his face told Sonomi he would have rather been somewhere else. She became somewhat disheartened by his displeased frown. _I suppose I was right about him after all_ , she thought glumly, _he does find me to be silly_.

His sister's subtle disappointed sigh did not escape Tamaki's notice. He knew Kyouya's feelings about Sonomi well before this introduction. The Ootori was only looking out for his friend's well-being and his legitimacy as Suoh heir. It was a predictable thing for Kyouya to become caught up in logistics and contingencies about lineage especially considering he was the youngest Ootori son. Tamaki was confident that after spending some time getting to know the young lady, Kyouya would warm up to her. _Well… as much as that Shadow King_ could _warm up to someone._

The awkward silence that had built among them was suddenly shattered when the small blonde cradling a pink bunny skipped up to Sonomi. Giggling, he began bouncing on the balls of his feet, the soft years of his bunny toy flopping gently with his rhythm. "It's so nice to meet you, Sono-chan! We're honestly really happy you're here. Tama-chan has told us so much about you! And Kyouya was right… you _are_ pretty!"

Sonomi's cheeks grew very red as the rest of the Host Club erupted into laughter. Well, all of them _except_ the seething Ootori. "Please, Honey-sempai, don't be ridiculous," he said, fidgeting with his glasses, "I wouldn't say something as frivolous as that."

The small blonde turned around and looked curiously at his dark-haired friend. "You mean you _don't_ think Sono-chan is pretty?"

"What!?" cried Tamaki, practically launching himself at Kyouya, " _Mother_ doesn't think daughter is beautiful? How dare you!"

Sonomi watched in horrified amazement as chaos broke out among the Host Club members. Tamaki was yelling spitefully at his bespectacled cohort, who refused to feed into the madness. The cold Ootori stood motionless, his dark eyes practically throwing daggers at the hysterical blonde. The one Kyouya referred to as 'Honey-Sempai' began bouncing around the two of them, singing about how pretty "Sono-chan" was… all while the tallest Host, a sullen-faced young man with dark hair, carefully watched the young blonde, seemingly ready to reach out in case he got caught in the "mother/father" cross fire. Adding fuel to the fire was a pair of red-headed twins. One was encouraging Tamaki's wrath, while the other was teasing Kyouya about whether or not he thought Lady Sonomi Sinclair was _pretty_. The only one who wasn't interested in the scene was the most feminine host of the lot. While each of the young men certainly had their own type of _pretty_ charm, this particular young man had them all beat.

Catching Sonomi's eye, the calm brunette walked up to her and extended his hand. "Hello, Sonomi-sempai. My name is Haruhi Fujioka."

Sonomi blinked rapidly in surprise. "You're a host?"

Haruhi nodded.

"That's odd…" said Sonomi, tilting her head as she studied Haruhi's face, "Considering you're a girl."

Sonomi wasn't sure what would have been necessary to diffuse the ruckus that had exploded in the middle of the music room. But apparently recognizing that Haruhi Fujioka was indeed a _girl_ did just the trick. The bickering young men and their comrades all fell into a hush at the same time and stared in obvious shock at Sonomi. The young English girl's gaze darted back and forth between the horrified group and a mildly surprised Haruhi.

Suddenly, Haruhi chuckled softly and shook Sonomi's hand. "I can't believe you're Tamaki's sister. You were much quicker at figuring it out than he was. Yes, I'm a girl. It's nice to meet you."

Sonomi returned the smile. "It's nice to meet you, too. I can already tell… there's never going to be a dull moment with the Host Club, will there?"

"You have no idea."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Oh, hey, look! I'm back! Yeah, I really can't give much of an explanation for my disappearances and reappearances. I mean, all I can say is "life"? You know... you can relate..._

 _I finished this chapter late at night and I tried to read through it and fix errors. But I was also drinking wine, so I broke the first rule of writing: "Write drunk, edit sober." So, sorry for spelling errors and slight slip-ups with the plot and canon. I'm trying to keep things kosher. But let me know if something is wrong! Fair game._

 _Thank you so much for reading this. I get so much satisfaction writing this story and using it as a creative outlet. Even if no one actually reads this, I'm totally fine. It's been a pleasure (and I'll try to keep at it). So, if you ARE a reader that has gotten through these three chapter and is reading this note... you're the best! I really appreciate your time and commitment._

 _I do remember reading a comment about re-uploading some of my old stories. I DO still have them, it's just a matter of finding what thumb drive they're on. I'm actually surprised someone remembers them and would like that back! That makes me so happy! (Even if I was cringing as I reread them years later... who let me write that? Anyway, I'll see if I can bring them back with a giant disclaimer that says they are OLD STORIES... who knows, maybe I'll find the motivation to do more re-writes. Maybe)._

 _Anyway, thanks so much and look forward to Chapter 4! For the most part, I really do have the story all said and done in my mind... it's just a matter of ACTUALLY putting the chapters together. Clearly I'm not the... most punctual._

 _Much love._

 _\- I'm Going on an Adventure (formally known as The Irish Baroness)_


	4. Four

**Do You Dance, Mister Darcy?**

 _I'm Going on an Adventure_

(All Standard Disclaimers Apply)

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

 _"It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now." - Jane Austen_

* * *

"So… this all has a very _Twelfth Night_ feel to it," observed Sonomi, stirring her tea.

She and the members of the Ouran Host Club were all seated around a table in the middle of the empty classroom. Haruhi had the foresight to offer their guest some English tea to which Sonomi immediately obliged. Tamaki then successfully found a tin of their finest tea somewhere in the depths of their mysterious cache of Host supplies and it was quickly steeped and served.

Each of them was entertaining their own tea cup, ranging from the blackness of Kyouya's tea to Honey's thick, sugary concoction. It was at this relaxed moment that Kyouya stiffly explained Haruhi's situation and her enormous amount of debt. Sonomi could see the disguised girl in question fidgeting in her seat throughout the tale. _There are probably better ways to settle this_ , mused Sonomi, taking a sip from her cup _, But I guess subtly just isn't the Host Club's style. Everything has to be excessive._

"We think the arrangement is working out quite well," chirped Tamaki.

Haruhi noticeably coughed and sunk lower in her seat.

Sonomi laughed. "I guess for some…"

"So, Lady Sonomi," began one of the twins, changing the topic. Sonomi had noted earlier that each twin had their hair parted in a different direction and surmised which one was Hikaru and which one was Kaoru. With this logic, she believed her addresser was Hikaru… maybe. "You are Tamaki-sempai's _older_ sister, correct?"

Sonomi tilted her head as she thought about the timeline. "Yes… but only by a little, I think. My mother and our father divorced very early in the marriage, but really only right after I was conceived. She was still pregnant when she started dating her second husband." She felt uncomfortable referring Lord Sinclair as her mother's _second husband_. But calling him _father_ would just confuse the Hosts.

"And your father was already seeing Tamaki's mother during his and your mother's marriage, correct?"

Sonomi and Tamaki became noticeably uncomfortable when Kyouya mentioned their father's affair. Both of them were aware of the fact Yuzuru Suoh had been unfaithful while he was still married to Sonomi's mother, but it was topic they made sure to avoid. Besides, it was an event that took place before either of them were born. Sonomi certainly did not blame Tamaki for being a result of this affair, but that did not mean she necessarily liked discussing it.

Sonomi fidgeted with the handle on her tea cup. "Oh, yes… Tamaki was born a little after I was. The day my mother moved out, he traveled to France and stayed there for a couple of months..." Sonomi finished her sentence with some difficulty, allowing the rest of them to finish the thought for her.

Tamaki, who was sitting next to Sonomi, was fixated on his empty cup. All around the table the Hosts were sharing hesitant glances, trying to find a new topic to talk about. But Kyouya wasn't finished. "Three months? You are older by three months?"

"Yes, that's right," said Sonomi quietly.

This presented the opportunity for Honey to interject. "Oh, so you're in Tamaki and Kyouya's year!"

Tamaki quickly took hold of this new topic and nodded vigorously. "Yes! Although… it doesn't appear as though we have any classes together. I find this to be distressing… but you and Kyouya have English Literature together, right?" He said, looking at his sister for confirmation.

Sonomi glanced over at the young Ootori who was seated across the table from her. She was immediately struck by the hard look in his eyes and his stiff expression. She noticed that he seemed a little agitated the moment she stepped into the room, as though her presence pained him. _Surely I must not have made_ that _bad of an impression at my party._ "Yes," she confirmed, tearing her eyes away from Kyouya, "third period."

Tamaki then turned his attention to Kyouya. "Didn't you greet my sister?" Tamaki inquired, accusingly. He was aware that his loyal cohort had ignored Sonomi during that period and that annoyed him greatly.

In fact, Kyouya Ootori had not even looked at Sonomi during their class, and made a point to disregard her presence. His cold demeanor made it impossible for Sonomi to find the confidence to approach him, so she resolved to find a desk several seats behind him in silence. She felt anxious that entire period and quickly fled the classroom the moment they were dismissed. Luckily she quickly found Karl in the midst of the chaotic hallway and was able to escape any possibility of running into Kyouya for the rest of the morning.

"I had not realized we shared English Literature," lied Kyouya.

Sonomi frowned. "If something about me bothers you, I would appreciate it if you just tell me," she said, glaring at the young Ootori. "You've been nothing but rude and harsh ever since I got here and I don't know what I could have done to upset you so much!"

The rest of the Hosts sat on edge as everyone waited for Kyouya's response. It was clear he was studying the situation, finding the exact words to explain his indifference towards Sonomi. "Simply because you _exist_ ," he said finally, "and you're jeopardizing my friend's fortune. If you truly weren't considering your right to inherit the Suoh Corporation, you wouldn't have moved to Japan. I can only deduce that your intention is to claim your right as the Suoh heir."

Sonomi felt as though she had just taken a blow to the stomach. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared in open horror at Kyouya. She had not entertained the possibility that she would encounter someone so openly disgusted by her newly-discovered lineage… she certainly never thought it would come from a classmate, never mind someone so close to Tamaki.

Tamaki was just as horrified by Kyouya's anger towards his sister. He knew that Kyouya was skeptical of Sonomi's motives, but he never really thought his friend _reviled_ her. Tamaki had made such an effort to prep his friends for his sister's arrival in the best light and with the best intentions. He believed that by being noticeably elated about the discovery of a sister, the other Hosts would share in the excitement. For the most part, his friends _were_ happily anticipating Sonomi… all except for Tamaki's dearest friend.

Everyone had been rendered silent. The twins shared panicked glances while Haruhi, who was sitting between Tamaki and Hikaru, sank lower in her chair. Honey's lower lip trembled as he fought the urge to cry. Sensing the small blonde's distress, Mori - who Sonomi noted to be the quietest of the bunch - began offering his quivering companion a variety of sweets and candies to distract him. But Honey could not be swayed, and he resolved to bury his face into the plush rabbit he had been cradling in his arms.

"Kyouya…" began Tamaki, his expression darkening, "that was uncalled for."

But Sonomi could not stand to be in their presence any longer. Before her brother could address the situation further, she quickly jumped out of her seat. "Please, Tamaki," she said, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. Her gaze was fixed squarely on the tea set in front of her in an attempt to quell the rising urge to cry. "I'll just go, now."

"No, wait!" cried Tamaki, reaching out to grab his sister's arm.

But Sonomi nimbly dodged his hand and hurried out of the room. She bit her lip when she felt herself choking up. The last thing that she wanted was to let Kyouya see her so vulnerable, especially after he had made such a point as to _hurt her_. Tamaki had immediately bolted out of his chair to chase her, but when he reached the door she had slammed behind her, he was greeted by a crowd of murmuring girls waiting to be greeted by the Host Club. They were clearly taken aback by the sudden appearance of a distraught female student and shared looks of surprise and frustration.

"Is everything alright, Tamaki?" inquired one of the young girls, her wide eyes looking fondly up at her beloved sempai.

A distressed Tamaki studied the crowd, searching for a familiar head of brown hair; but Sonomi succeeded in melting into the crowd of pastel yellow and had seemingly disappeared. Catching his breath, Tamaki smiled weakly at the cooing mob. "Nothing to worry about, loves," he assured them. "We will be ready for you in just a moment."

After closing the door to the music room, Tamaki turned to glare pointedly at Kyouya. The stoic Ootori had pulled out his laptop and busied himself with mysterious business. He was ignoring the pair of angry blue eyes fixated on him. "We will talk about this after our schedule," Tamaki vowed, coldly.

The rest of the Host Club was struck with how harsh Tamaki's tone had become after the flight of his sister. They quickly worked around the bitter pair and prepared the room for the impatient crowd of girls that could be heard chatting outside. For the rest of the afternoon, Tamaki made an effort to entertain their clients as amiably as he could. Kyouya also attempted to assume his normal countenance, but it was all too apparent to everyone that there were ill feelings buried beneath their smiles and polite nods.

During a break from clients, Haruhi shuffled closer to Kaoru who was fixing a platter of tea settings. "Does Kyouya-sempai really hate Sonomi-sempai? Or is this a rich person thing?"

"Kyouya-sempai has a lot more pride than Tamaki," replied Kaoru, glancing over at the curious brunette, "and I think that upsets him. To Kyouya, Sonomi-sempai is a threat to Tamaki's livelihood. I think he is trying to compensate for Tamaki's tolerance of his half-sister by being incredibly prejudiced."

Haruhi frowned. "Kyouya-sempai thinks Tamaki-sempai should hate his sister?"

Kaoru nodded as he lifted the heavy tray. "But Tamaki-sempai doesn't have the capacity to hate anybody, so the Shadow King is very protective. He is able to see the worst in everybody while Tamaki can only see the best."

 **…-X-…**

It had been settled earlier that day that Tamaki and Sonomi should share the limo back to the Suoh estate. Sonomi had no desire to discuss that afternoon's events with her brother, and immediately buried her nose into a book the moment they slid inside the limo's leather interior. Tamaki was normally daft when it came to reading moods and situations, but it was apparent to him that Sonomi was gravely wounded by Kyouya's words. Instead of trying to cheer her up, he respected Sonomi's silence and spent the limo ride staring out the window.

The rest of the evening remained in heavy silence as the pair of them retired to their respective bedrooms. It was not until the announcement of dinner that the pair of siblings rejoined. They both had changed into more comfortable articles of clothing prior to their meal; Tamaki's interpretation of "casual wear" perhaps a bit more chic than Sonomi's loose sweater and tired jeans. They took their dinner in one of the smaller dining rooms, waited on by only a couple of staff members.

The beginning of what Sonomi considered to be an excessive Monday night meal was consumed in silence. The only sounds shared between them were the clinking of silverware and soft chewing. It was not until they were half-finished with the main course did Tamaki attempt to initiate a conversation.

"I _am_ happy you're here," he said quietly. He could tell from his sister's distressed expression from earlier that afternoon she had been questioning her presence in Japan. He was surprisingly distraught at the thought of losing a sister so quickly after gaining one.

Sonomi suddenly dropped her silverware, the metal ringing loudly on her porcelain plate. She swallowed thickly before meeting her brother's eyes. He was sitting across from her at the long banquet table, his expression a mixture of sadness and pity. _I don't know if I believe him_ , she thought numbly _, not when his best friend hates my very existence._

"Tamaki…" she began, but she was quickly cut off.

"No, I can tell by your tone that you doubt me," said Tamaki, shaking his head. "But it's true. I've been by myself for most of my life. My mother is gone, my father can't stand me, and I haven't had a sibling to speak of until now. I would be lying if I've been totally okay… but I know what loneliness is, and if you leave, I have to be alone again."

Sonomi didn't respond… she couldn't respond. So Tamaki continued, "The Host Club is incredibly dear to me, certainly. But you're something different: you're family… and that's precious to me."

"But… aren't you worried about me inheriting the Suoh fortune?" Sonomi dared to ask.

Tamaki's expression softened. "Why would I be worried about something that is rightfully yours?"

The dam of emotions that Sonomi had carefully constructed within herself all afternoon suddenly burst and she began to sob into the remnants of her dinner. She was upset about being away from home, she was upset about what Kyouya had said, and she was upset that Tamaki was so _forgiving_. She didn't feel like she deserved _any_ of Tamaki's kindness.

"Tamaki, I don't want any of it," she said, hiccuping. "I don't want the company and I don't want the fortune. I wasn't raised in this kind of world! I don't know anything about being a CEO or a board member or anything. This _mansion_ is too much, the academy is too much… even this _dinner_ is too much! Who eats lobster on a casual Monday night? I certainly don't. This isn't me."

Tamaki was surprised by his sister's outburst. Tears continued to stream down her face as she gestured at all of the things in the room that didn't appeal to her. The chandelier was too grand and the wallpaper was too posh. She didn't like how long the table was or the fact there was a butler standing behind each of their chairs. She was especially distraught about the fact this was the _smallest_ of the manor's _three dining halls._

"Who needs _three dining halls?_ " she demanded. "And this is the _lesser_ estate! I can't imagine how many there are in the _primary_ residence!"

When Sonomi's dramatic rant came to an end, Tamaki found himself taken aback in utter amazement and began to laugh uncontrollably. The wildly distressed look in his sister's swollen eyes unexpectedly amused him when he had expected a totally different outcome. He admittedly was anticipating Sonomi to reaffirm his fear of her becoming the Suoh heir, even when he had assured her it was fine with him. But it was clear Kyouya's warnings of her possible "schemes" were completely backwards.

"Why are you laughing?" moaned Sonomi. She was completely exhausted by the rush of emotions that had been abusing her all afternoon and she simply could not comprehend her brother's glee.

Tamaki brushed a tear from his eye when he finally was able to settle down. "I just… I just wasn't expecting you to be so _angry_ about how _rich_ everything is!"

Blinking at his words, Sonomi suddenly smiled. "You don't understand… everyone here is _too wealthy_ it pisses me off!"

Sonomi's crude language reduced Tamaki to laughter once again. This time Sonomi joined him. The two butlers behind them shared worried glances as the siblings fell into uncontainable laughter. Eventually, Tamaki and Sonomi were able to gasp for air and take calming sips from their water glasses.

"You and Haruhi will get along swimmingly," he humored. "She also hates things that are too rich."

"Smart girl."

* * *

For the rest of the week, Tamaki fervently tried to get Sonomi to return to the third music room and rejoin the Hosts. But each time she shot the idea down. Even though she and her brother had reached the understanding Sonomi had no desire to inherit the Suoh fortune, she wasn't ready to face Kyouya again. She was still rattled by his poignant words on Monday and decided she could do without any more negativity during her first week of classes.

"But he won't be mean again," Tamaki had whined, tugging on Sonomi's sleeve as they walked into the school on Tuesday. "I won't let him! I told him what you said. I told him you don't want to be the heir."

But Sonomi had brushed him off. "I will talk to him on my own time," she said firmly. "Perhaps this weekend. I just don't think talking about something so important should be done while you're wearing prince costumes or something." She was alluding to the rack of ridiculous outfits she noticed was hiding in the back of the classroom when she was having tea with them that fateful afternoon. The twinkle of sequence and shimmer of velvet was not lost on her.

Eventually Tamaki had to respect his sister's resolve and did not bring up the topic, again.

Well… until Saturday at breakfast.

… **-X-…**

"I invited Kyouya over to help me with schoolwork," said Tamaki suddenly. He and Sonomi were seated in what Sonomi referred to as the "Pastel Parlor". It was the same sunny room where she had breakfast during her first morning in the estate. She had taken a liking to its dainty décor and made a habit of having coffee by one of the tall windows. Tamaki adjusted his own schedule and made a habit of joining her during most of their meals, especially on weekends.

Sonomi nearly choked on her scone at Tamaki's announcement. "Oh, really?" she said skeptically, suspicious if his motives were purely for the sake of _schoolwork_.

Tamaki knew it was futile to try and disguise Kyouya's real purpose in visiting, and quickly fessed up. "Okay, so I want the two of you to make amends. I can't take this anymore! I need the two of you to be able to at least _talk_ to each other!"

Sonomi grimaced. "I doubt he would want to talk to me. He seems too proud to apologize."

"Yeah… he probably won't do that…"

"Shocker," muttered Sonomi, rolling her eyes.

Kyouya Ootori didn't strike her as the type of person who would admit when he was wrong. Her father used to joke about how Yoshio Ootori would rather lose a limb than apologize to someone. She could never understand how Lord Sinclair could have a companion who was so stubborn and proud… Surely Kyouya couldn't be so much different from his father. Her impression of him thus far seemed to justify this assumption.

"He was just too quick to judge you," pressed Tamaki. He was resolved to have his sister speak with Kyouya. He was prepared to any means necessary… which could possibly include locks and restraints. "Just… give him another chance to make an impression. He can't like you any less than he does, right now."

If that was Tamaki's attempt to make Sonomi feel better, it backfired. " _Can't like me any less,"_ she repeated.

Tamaki fidgeted in his chair. "I mean… it's true."

 _He's kind of right,_ she admitted to herself, swirling around the contents of her coffee cup, _it would be nice if I could get Kyouya to at least tolerate me… for Tamaki's sake_. It was obvious that having his sister and best friend be on good terms was incredibly important to Tamaki. Her arrival in Japan was making his life hard enough as it was with all of the skepticism around his right of inheritance. The least she could do was make an effort to smooth things over with his friends.

Sonomi gave a resolved sigh. "Okay, Tamaki. I'll talk to Kyouya when he gets here."

Tamaki was about to start gushing about how happy he was, when he noticed a familiar car pulling up the mansion's long drive. His face was almost pressed flush against the window pane when he recognized Kyouya's driver walking around to the side of the parked vehicle. Laughing triumphantly, he quickly whipped back around to announce his friend's arrival. "What luck! He's here, now!"

Sonomi, who was quietly studying Tamaki's sudden distraction, felt her stomach drop. She was at least hoping to finish another cup of coffee before having to deal with a brooding Ootori. Mornings were difficult enough without confrontations… and this was one she had been dreading all week. Tamaki was practically bouncing in his seat when a servant suddenly entered the parlor to announce the arrival of Kyouya Ootori.

Kyouya's eyes widened in surprise when he emerged and noticed Sonomi sitting stiffly at the breakfast table across from her brother. He had not anticipated that she would be around during his visit. He was sure she would make an effort to avoid him since she had not spoken a word to him all week. Their Literature class had become awkward between the two of them and he did not suspect that she would ever want to make amends with him.

The Host Club members had been short-tempered with him all week. They were clearly hurt by Kyouya's behavior towards Tamaki's sister and avoided him as much as possible. Although Tamaki appeared to have forgiven the young Ootori, the rest of the Hosts were still slightly hostile towards him; primarily the twins. Haruhi was simply more quiet than usual while Honey and Mori pretended that Kyouya wasn't even there. Instead of feeling any kind of remorse, Kyouya found their behavior to be unprofessional and detrimental to the success of the club.

"Excuse me," said Kyouya, bowing slightly, "I didn't think I'd be getting here so early as to interrupt breakfast."

Tamaki grinned. "Don't worry about it, Kyouya. We were just finishing up," turning towards his sister he gave a small wink before continuing. "Actually, my school books are up in my room. Keep Sonomi company while I go fetch them, Kyouya."

Sonomi and Kyouya froze as Tamaki bounced up out of his chair and hurried out of the parlor. It took a second before either one of them was able to come to terms with situation, let alone say anything. Kyouya remained rooted at his spot by the door while Sonomi shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She avoided his gaze as she tried to come up with something to say. _I have to be nice_ , she warned herself, _for Tamaki's sake._

"Well, I-"

"How are-"

They both tried to initiate a conversation at the same time, cutting each other off. Sonomi sunk further into her chair out of mortification. After a second more of painful silence, Kyouya took a deep breath and tried again. "May I sit?"

"Oh, of course!" chirped Sonomi, embarrassed that she didn't suggest it earlier.

Kyouya nodded and quietly assumed the seat where Tamaki had been sitting before his friend had arrived. Sonomi bit her lip as she waited for the young man across from her to say something, but she was met with a thoughtful silence. He was brazenly studying her from behind his glasses, making her 100% more uncomfortable. _Does he want to apologize or…_ she wondered, quickly looking down at her empty coffee cup.

Eventually, Kyouya _did_ say something, pulling Sonomi's attention back up at him. "Tamaki was very upset with me that I said those things to you on Monday…" he began, pushing his glass further up the bridge of his nose, "And I regret hurting him so much. I was worried that he was too light-hearted about this situation. I know what it's like being a younger brother and to not be entitled to anything. He was never faced with that reality… until now."

Sonomi sat still, waiting for him to continue.

"It's nothing personal," he said, after Sonomi failed to respond. "You are a threat and I don't take kindly to people who want to claim things that aren't entitled to them. I understand that being the first child - regardless of the fact you are _only three months older_ than Tamaki - you technically hold the right to the Suoh fortune. But I refuse to believe you are _deserving_ of it."

Sonomi felt stung by Kyouya's words. She certainly wasn't expecting an apology from him, but she didn't think he would continue to dig at the wound he inflicted on her earlier that week. She couldn't tell what he wanted from her: to make her mad, to make her cry, to make her leave. If anything, she felt exasperated at this point. She could only be so hurt for so long until numbness took over.

Sonomi cleared her throat before putting together a reply. She wanted to make sure her voice was at least somewhat confident, even if she felt everything but. "I know Tamaki told you that I _don't_ want to be the heir…"

But she was brusquely cut off. "Then why are you here?" Kyouya demanded. Although his voice held the same, calm tone, Sonomi could hear the frustration in his words.

"It's complicated…"

Kyouya sniffed. "That's a poor excuse."

Much like her outburst on Monday at dinner, Sonomi felt an absurd amount of emotion hit her all at once. This time, instead of sorrow, it was anger. "Let me talk!" she said, practically yelling. Kyouya stiffened as Sonomi took on a furious aura. "Do not act like you know my situation. You said it yourself, being a younger son, you _understand_ your place in your family and your society. Even if you may not particularly like it, at least you _understand_. As for me, I'm torn between two very different families and very different worlds! And it's _killing me._ I'm far away from people who love me, I have to navigate an unfamiliar circle of families and names that are too powerful and too influential for me to avoid, and I am not enjoying _any_ of this money or fame! It was going to come out eventually that I am Yuzuru Suoh's daughter and I think we _both_ can agree not addressing that fact was going to result in scandal for everyone involved. People are watching me, Kyouya! I'm a member of English aristocracy _and_ Japan's high society, and there are plenty of people who want me to _fail_. I'm not going to let that happen." Sonomi was practically gasping for air at this point. She had been ranting about her situation to the point where she wasn't taking breaks in between sentences. Taking a deep breath, Sonomi took a moment to composer herself before continuing, "I'm here not because I want to be the Suoh heir, but because this is a part of my lineage and destiny that I cannot run from. And I'm not going to. When I am eighteen years old, I will be able to officially decline my right of inheritance. I know that doing so will result in even more scandal… but if I can convince my birth father to declare Tamaki as the heir before then, the Suoh name will retain its prestige and I will be able to return _home_ to England."

The room became still and Sonomi was suddenly very aware of herself. She had completely lost hold of her emotions and essentially verbally attacked Tamaki's best friend. Sonomi was mortified. If there was any chance of Kyouya and her coming to a resolve, it certainly wasn't going to happen now. Panicking, she tried to make a recovery. "Kyouya-san," she said hurriedly, her voice breathless, "that was too much… I was hysteric and I'm so embarrassed, I-"

"I'm sorry."

Kyouya's voice was so quiet, she almost missed it. "What?"

The usually stoic and cold, young man met her gaze and repeated the sentiment a little louder. "I'm sorry," he said.

Sonomi suddenly felt very tired. At this point she desperately needed a second cup of coffee.

"I should have known it was complicated," said Kyouya, his countenance softening. "I assumed I understood your intent instead of really studying the situation. I judged your character before I really got to know you."

Sonomi really didn't want to talk about the topic anymore. Her "supposed right of inheritance" was igniting too many emotions and angering too many people. It was like a coiled snake that was threatening to strike if prodded. The more the topic was discussed, the more she felt hurt and stung. Regardless of how forgiving Tamaki was or how apologetic Kyouya was, Sonomi felt guilty and cruel for even entertaining the possibility of inheriting the Suoh fortune. She knew there was always going to be skepticism until she officially and legally disinherited herself… and that wouldn't be for another couple of years.

At this point, she just wanted to know where she and Kyouya stood. "Are we… amicable?" she asked.

Kyouya gave an amused smirk. "If you accept my apology."

"I do."

"Then I believe we're on good terms."

"Mother is so happy!" exclaimed a familiar voice. Kyouya and Sonomi jumped in their seats at Tamaki's sudden outburst. In fact, Sonomi was so taken aback she gave a small yelp of shock. Kyouya, on the other hand, was much more composed and looked more annoyed than surprised as Tamaki twirled over to them. "Now we can be one big happy family!"

The twittering blonde was dancing around them, almost singing about how happy he was that "father" and "daughter" were finally getting along. "Where are your books, Tamaki?" Kyouya observed quietly, looking pointedly at his friend.

Tamaki froze. "Oh… I forgot them…"

Kyouya massaged his temples and closed his eyes. "You were listening outside the door, weren't you?"

"Maybe."

"You're impossible."

Tamaki grinned. "Impossibly _happy_ that you and Sonomi aren't mad at each other, anymore! Now we can talk about Sonomi's coming out party."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Sonomi. She could only take so many unexpected announcements in one morning.

Tamaki settled down in a chair between his sister and his friend before diving into his plans. "It's very exciting that the sister of the _president_ of the Ouran Host Club has come to the academy. It is only suitable to celebrate the arrival of such a _notable_ student's sibling. We should have a grand ball and invite everyone who visits the Host Club to announce your coming out to Ouran's high society!"

Kyouya and Sonomi listened to the blonde's plans with shared skepticism. The scheming Ootori was calculating the schematics about introducing Sonomi to the club's clients and the conservative English lady was dreading the possibility of enduring _another_ lavish ball. She was hopeful that she had escaped that tradition when she left England… apparently galas were a thing enjoyed by rich society around the world; and Ouran Academy was no exception.

"I don't know, Tamaki…" began Sonomi.

But Kyouya interjected before she could finish her thought. "That might be a good idea. It would certainly present an interesting dynamic to the Host Club… And seeing as Sonomi is an English _lady_ , I think everyone would be particularly interested. Tamaki's relation to _Lady Anne Sinclair_ might add to his appeal."

Sonomi flinched at the sound of her English name. It sounded so out of place in Japan. "But I really hate balls," she argued. It was a feeble point; she needed to make sure the young men understood how _reluctant_ she was to go through with this.

"Oh, I know," assured Kyouya, "I seem to recall you _reading in a corner_ during your sixteenth birthday gala. You certainly didn't appear to have been enjoying yourself."

Sonomi felt the tips of her ears burn out of embarrassment. _So he does remember…_ she thought bitterly. It still annoyed her that she thought so highly of Kyouya's regard towards her. Even after their dramatic reunion, it still mattered to her how the young Ootori perceived her. _And he still must think I'm rather silly._

"Besides," Kyouya continued, "if it is announced to everyone that you are Tamaki's _sister_ , they will most likely stop being hostile towards you. At the moment, the young women of Ouran don't understand you are siblings and perceive you to be a romantic threat."

Tamaki blinked innocently. " _Romantic rival?"_ It really amazed Sonomi how thickheaded he was sometimes. It seemed as though question marks were blinking above his head as he looked back and forth between Kyouya and Sonomi. "Really?"

Kyouya sighed at his friend's sudden epiphany. "Eliminating 'romantic threats' will be good for business," deduced Kyouya. "I think the ball is an excellent idea."

Sonomi groaned. From the excited look in Tamaki's eyes and the determined look in Kyouya's, it was apparent there was no escaping this. While the benefit of having girls stop reviling her was appealing to Sonomi, she couldn't help but dread the frills and small talk that came with partaking in posh parties. And now that Kyouya was aware of her habit of stealing way to ballroom corners with a book, she was sure she couldn't get away with stowing her edition of _Pride and Prejudice_ in her clutch.

Kyouya pulled his laptop out of his bag and began to type out this plan. "We can't wait much longer to introduce Sonomi," he reasoned, his eyes fixated on the computer screen, "I propose we have the ball on Friday."

Sonomi's jaw grew slack. "This coming Friday!?"

Tamaki clapped his hands together in agreement. "That sounds perfect," he said, ignoring his sister, "and we can hand out invitations on Monday."

"But I don't have anything to wear," Sonomi tried to reason, hoping to delay the event, "I would need to find a dress and have it tailored… I need shoes and accessories. I didn't bring anything pretty enough with me from England." She knew using a lack of a gown as a reason to postpone the ball was a long shot, but she was feeling desperate.

"Not a problem!" assured Tamaki, to Sonomi's dismay. "The twins' mother is a fabulous fashion designer. I'm sure we can find you _something_ to wear." Suddenly, Tamaki leaned in close to Sonomi and whispered "But be careful of those devils… they'll have you wear something revealing and scandalous. But mother won't let that happen!"

Sonomi rolled her eyes. "Oh, thank god."

"Perhaps their mother has a gown like the one you wore on your sixteenth birthday," interjected Kyouya. His fingers had paused over his keyboard and he was looking up at Sonomi. She met his dark eyes and blushed. "You looked lovely in it."

 _They're truly professionals at this 'hosting' thing_ , thought Sonomi, turning away from the smirking Ootori, _Maybe a little_ too _professional._ Sonomi surmised that the dashing young men of the Ouran Host Club were not only good looking, but they were incredibly charming; to the point where they could probably persuade any young woman to do almost anything. And at this point, they had successfully persuaded Sonomi to go through with her "Coming Out" party at Ouran.

"I will agree to this," said Sonomi sternly, "On one condition."

Tamaki and Kyouya exchanged curious looks. They were prepared to use other means of coercion to get Sonomi to agree to their plan and were surprised that she consented so easily. Although Tamaki was visibly happy his sister agreed, Kyouya was a bit more wary of her mysterious "one condition". "Yes, what is it?" he implored, eyeing Sonomi carefully.

"I get to bring a date."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Aha! I completed another chapter! I feel like this has been one giant backstory, so far... hopefully the upcoming ball will bring on some actual plot. But I wanted to make sure I have Sonomi Sinclair a pretty solid foundation. If there are any noticeable holes or question marks in the plot, let me know. I will embrace constructive criticism... and compliments. I like compliments :) And sorry I didn't clarify Sonomi and Tamaki's ages earlier! I TOTALLY meant to do that in the third chapter, but I forgot. And that's pretty typical, so... be warned._

 _Anyway, thank you so much for reading! Please comment and/or follow or whatever, I would appreciate it. Let's me know people are into. (I mean, I would probably write anyway, but know there are people into it will encourage me to write more frequently)._

 _Much love._

 _\- I'm Going on an Adventure (formally known as the Irish Baroness)_


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